Capturing Courtney
by katie4cheer
Summary: One day, Courtney is kidnapped on her way to school, and Duncan sees her Amber Alert on the news. When he goes to save her, will old feelings from TDI resurface? Now, with both of their lives on the line, will Duncan and Courtney ever be safe again?
1. Capturing Courtney

Courtney was walking towards school, with her messenger bag backpack slung over her shoulder. She pulls some index cards from her back pocket. _Ugh, I am _so_ not ready for the Spanish finals_, she complains in her head.

"Ow!" Courtney shouts, holding her stubbed toe. She turns her head to see what she stubbed it on -- a cracked sidewalk. _It's not really good to be studying while walking to school_, she thinks, _If I get there early, then I can actually study in the classroom._ Courtney turns to face the alley between the grocery store and pet store. _That's a shortcut…But it's kinda dark…_

Courtney glances down at her index card, then her stubbed toe, then back at the alley. _It's worth it_, she decides, and slides her notes in her back pocket. Courtney takes a tentative step in the alleyway and readjusts her messenger bag. Halfway down the alley, she hears a sound behind her.

Being her usual, paranoid self, Courtney spins around. She sighs in relief. "Oh. Hey, Mr. Walters. I'm just taking a shortcut to school so I can study in the classroom for my Spanish finals," Courtney explains to the elderly pet store owner. He nods his head.

"You were always such a good student," he comments before continuing into the pet store. Courtney turns around to see a man standing at the end of the alley. Courtney didn't recognize him. So, she starts to turn around. But there were two more guys standing where Mr. Walters was standing just a minute ago. They were wearing baggy pants with chains, like they were trying to look like gangsters. Courtney would've rolled her eyes at their style if she wasn't freaking out. She turns around again, and another man had joined the single one.

They started closing in. Courtney clung to her backpack in fear, and a man stepped towards her. He draws out a knife. "One word, and you'll get it," he murmurs menacingly. Her eyes widen. She opens her mouth to scream, but a hand clamps over her mouth.

The guy with the knife lunges at Courtney and she holds her hands up to defend herself. The knife makes contact with her right hand, and she attacker draws back. Courtney holds her shaky hand up to her face and she sees the deep, red gash. But then somebody cracks her over the head with a beer bottle, and everything goes black.

* * *

Duncan was watching the news and sitting on his couch in his room. Of course he had ditched school; he had a major hangover from Sunday night. _And besides, _Duncan thinks, _Who goes to school on _Monday_?_ He had hid in the bushes by his bus stop, and watched his school bus drive by. Then he waited for his parents' cars to drive by on their way to work, aka, the police station. Finally, his older brother drove by on his way to the high school. And then Duncan had went home and let himself in using the house key under the mat. _So predictable._

But, now, he was watching the news because his usual TV shows all included brightly-lit explosions, which hurt his head. The announcer finished saying something and a brownish-orange flash lit up the screen. Duncan winced and shielded his eyes. Once the flashing stopped, Duncan opened his eyes again.

It was an Amber Alert. _This is what's wrong with America, _Duncan thinks, _Kids can't defend themselves anymore._ But then Courtney's picture appears on the screen and Duncan just about chokes on the water he was drinking. He does a spit-take and spits it out all over the carpet. "Courtney!" he shouts. She was his old girlfriend from TDI. Of course he still had feelings for her, and he was pretty sure she felt the same way, but since they lived far away from each other, they broke up.

_Flashback_

"_Duncan, can I, uh, ask you something?" Courtney asked over the phone._

"_Anything, Princess."_

"_Uh, okay, well, um, do you think this is working?" she asks._

"_What?"_

"_You know, our, um, relationship."_

"_Well, yeah I guess. It would be better if I got to see you more, but I'm kinda broke right know, and your dad hates me, so he would _never_ buy you a plane ticket to see me," Duncan replies._

"_Exactly. Maybe we should, um, put our relationship on… _pause_, at least just for now," Courtney proposes._

"_Oh, uh, yeah, I guess."_

"_Alright. Uh, good. Well, um, I gotta go do some, uh, extra credit."_

"_Okay. Um, talk to you later, I guess?"_

"_Sure. Sure! I'll, uh, talk to you later. Bye, Duncan." "Bye, uh, Courtney."_

_End of flashback._

But of course they never called each other again. It had been a whole year since then.

Duncan turns up the volume on the TV, transfixed at her picture. She looked the same as always. _But still hot_, he adds. Her silky brown hair was shoulder-length, faming her oval-shaped face. Freckles dotted her nose and the apples of her cheeks. Soft pink lips were separated in a huge smile, revealing perfect, white teeth which were deemed more prominent by her tan skin. Thick eyelashes framed molten onyx eyes. But then the picture went away way too quickly. Duncan sighs in disappointment.

He turns up the volume of the TV really high and sits on the edge of his seat as he listens to the news broadcasters' voice. "This is now a nation-wide manhunt. Or, woman-hunt, I guess. But either way, the police suspect that Miss Summers was kidnapped by world-renowned kidnappers. They have been accused of murder, rape, theft, robbery, not to mention kidnapping." Duncan felt light-headed. _This couldn't be happening to her._

But the broadcaster's voice continued, "Courtney has been missing for two days, but even though that may not seem like a long time, please take this seriously since they found some blood at the scene of the crime." Duncan's face paled. "She is 17 years old, weighs 115 pounds, and is 5 feet 2 inches tall. Call this number if you suspect anything: 1-800-CRIME-STOPPERS."

Duncan hops up and grabs the telephone. He wasn't going to call the Crime Stoppers number, since he didn't know anything. But he _did_ call the airport. "One ticket to California, please," Duncan asks.

A half-hour later, Duncan is riding his motorcycle to the airport. He places his baggage on the little rotating thing, and he walks up to the lady at the counter. "Is it possible for the airlines to carry my motorcycle with me to California?" Duncan asks her. She punches some things into the computer and she faces him.

"It'll cost extra," she warns. Duncan pulls a wad of bills from his back pocket.

"How much?"


	2. Crime Scene Investigation

Duncan roars away from the airport in California on his motorcycle. He gets on the highway and rides towards the city of Las Angeles. When skyscrapers start to appear, Duncan starts searching for a hotel to stay at. He exit's the highway and drives up to the Crown Plaza Hotel in Beverly Hills.

Duncan grabs his duffel bag from the back of his motorcycle and walks through the gold-trimmed revolving doors. As he stepped into the lobby, he felt the stares of a million people settle upon him. Duncan turns to face a teen girl with sunglasses perched on her head and a small dog in her arms. She sniffs at him. "Do you know where the check-in desk is?" he asks her with a smirk on his face. Instead of talking to him, she just thrusts her nose higher into the air and points to a desk.

"Thanks, babe." Duncan chuckled and walked away from her. He could feel her glaring at his back as he steps up to the counter. "One room for two," Duncan says to the man behind the counter.

"Cash or credit?" he asks. Duncan pulls the money out of his back pocket.

"Cash," he answers, "And I'd like a room on one of the _top_ floors." The man rolls his eyes at Duncan and punches things into his computer.

"That'd be $500 for three nights," the concierge says. Duncan lets out a low whistle as he places the money on the counter.

"Good thing I emptied out my bank account before I came here, huh?" Duncan says, attempting a joke, even though it was true what he did. The man ignores Duncan and rings a bell, handing Duncan the room key.

"Floor 15, room 843," the man over the counter says. A bellhop rushes up and takes Duncan's duffel bag, but Duncan snatches it back.

"I'm not a wuss; I can carry my own bag," Duncan replies with a smirk and heads to the elevator.

In the room, he just tosses the bag on his bed. "Whew, fan-_cy_!" Duncan exclaims. Then he opens up the phone book by the phone and starts looking under S for 'Summers'. Duncan takes a pen from the bedside table and jots down Courtney's address on a slip of paper.

* * *

Courtney's front yard was a maze of crime scene tape, policemen, cop cars, drug-sniffing dogs, and people helping to looks for the missing girl. Duncan walks up the driveway, weaving between cops, up to the front door. It was open, so Duncan walked right in. He heard voices coming from the kitchen, so he followed the noise. It had been a while since Duncan has been here.

Courtney's dad was talking to a police officer when Duncan walked in. Mr. Summers' gaze switched to Duncan, mid-sentence. "What are _you_ doing here?" he demands. Courtney's dad _hated_ Duncan -- but Duncan already knew that.

"I saw Courtney's Amber Alert on the news at my home in Illinois and I wanted to help," Duncan answers. Courtney's dad just glares at him.

"With my luck, you'd find Courtney, and if she was still alive, you'd finish what the kidnappers left off!" Mr. Summers accuses. Duncan curls up his fists. "Courtney was my _girlfriend_. We only broke up because we lived too far away from each other. I would never--"

But Mr. Summers interrupts Duncan with a flick of his wrist and says, "Mr. Johnston, take him away." The chief of police follows Mr. Summers' orders and leads Duncan out of the house.

On the front porch, the cop faces Duncan. "We need all the help we can get finding this girl, and I can tell you're serious that you want to help. I don't know why Mr. Summers is being so pushy, but I'll tell you all we know. She was kidnapped two days ago at 6:44a.m. on her way to school. Courtney was kidnapped in the alleyway in between the grocery store and the pet shop on St. Marcum's Street. There was a bit of blood at the crime scene, so she must be injured, but there wasn't a lot of blood, so she must not be injured severely. Good luck, and be sure to come to me with any evidence," the policeman says. Duncan grabs the officer's hand and pumps it up and down.

"Thanks. Thank you so much." And with that, Duncan jumps on his motorcycle and roars away for St. Marcum's Street.

* * *

Duncan parks the motorcycle in front of the Paws and Claws Pet Shop. Duncan rolls his eyes at the prissy name and heads for the alley. He steps over some crime scene tape and walks until he sees a stain of blood on the concrete ground. His head starts spinning, and he feels queasy. _Why?_ he asks himself, _I haven't seen Courtney in a year. And now this small splotch of blood makes me start acting like… this._

A few feet away was a sprinkle of more blood. Duncan follows the sad excuse of a trail to a fire escape; those ladders up and down apartment buildings for in case of a fire. There was blood on the step, so Duncan starts climbing.

In five minutes or so, he reaches the rooftop. Duncan doesn't know whether it was his criminal eye or whether the white was just so prominent against the red brick, but he found a piece of paper wedged between two loose bricks on the chimney standing on the rooftop. Duncan carefully wedges it out from between the bricks as not to rip it. He unfolds the note and reads it out loud. "Duncan-- If you're reading this right now, good. We thought you might come. Actually, _we_ didn't think you'd come, _Courtney_ kept on mumbling something about you. Heck, I don't even know who you _are_. But Courtney does. Unfortunately, she's passed out right now from blood loss so I guess I won't know until later who you really are. Anyway, I bet you're here to save her. Ha! Good luck. You'll need it. We have over thirty alliances helping us with this kidnapping. We have multiple weapons, some of which are outlawed in the US. But, by now, if you're not completely scared shitless, meet by the Rosefield docks for a boat called 'Marylou' at 9:00p.m. two days after Courtney's kidnapping. We'll be waiting. -- Anonymous," Duncan murmur-quotes.

He looks up at the setting sun. It was about 7:30 already. Duncan pockets the note and runs down the fire escape. He jumps on his motorcycle and heads for the Rosefield docks.

* * *

Duncan leans against his parked motorcycle as he waits for the boat. Finally, he sees a couple lights floating for the dock. Duncan walks towards the ocean, and a boat pulls up to the dock. "You're Duncan?" a voice asks from the boat. But it was dark, and he couldn't see anything -- just a silhouette.

"Uh, yeah," Duncan answers.

"You're coming for Courtney?"

"Yep." And before he knew it, Duncan was knocked unconscious.


	3. Escaping the Island

Duncan wakes up in what seems to be a warehouse. There are barrels and crates everywhere, and metal doors line the wall. Duncan looks down at his arms, which are tied around a metal pole that goes all the way up to the ceiling.

"You're awake!" he hears a girl's voice exclaim. Duncan's head whips around at the sound, but only sees the concrete floor and walls of the warehouse. Something nudges his foot. He turns his head. "Courtney! Oh, God, Courtney. Are you okay?" Duncan asks. She was tied up, too, to a pole across from him. She had nudged his foot with hers.

"As fine as I'll ever be, being kidnapped and all. But I could say the same for you, seeing how you were dragged in her, out cold," she replies. Duncan cocks his head and his face reddens.

"Yeah… I don't really know how that happened. They just jumped me and I hardly remember much else," Duncan says. Courtney smiles at him.

"So how come you're in California?"

"Rescuing the Princess, of course," he replies with a smirk on his face. Courtney rolls her eyes and smiles again.

"Oh, gee, Duncan, and that's working out _real_ well." Their conversation stops when they hear a door bang open and men's voices. Three guys walk over to the prisoners. A man with a white tank top, gold necklace, tan cargo shorts, and black Converse kicks Courtney in the thigh. She winces and Duncan's mouth forms a tight line.

"Do you have many lawyers?" he asks in a gravelly voice. Courtney kicks his shin and nods. The man, in return, slaps her face. Duncan is finally broken from his trance and trips the third guy so that he goes sprawling on the ground. The second guy, with a black tank top and dark wash jeans, hooks Duncan with a punch to the jaw.

"So you're a wise-guy, huh?" the second guy asks menacingly.

"Sure, but I'd rather go by Duncan," Duncan replies, shaking off the punch, and grinning.

"Shut up," the first man commands. He turns to face Courtney again. "What's your lawyer's phone number?"

She shrugs. "Why do _you_ need to know?"

"Ransom." The guy holds his hand up to prepare her for another slap to the face, but she quickly rattles off her lawyer's number. The man nods and leads his friends back into the metal door, presumably to their office.

* * *

Late that night, Duncan could tell because of the single window high up near the ceiling, the guards switched shifts. There was a metal walkway above Courtney and Duncan's heads, which led to another room. Metal, rusty stairs were in a faraway corner. The guards walk down the stairs and into the office, to switch duties.

"Come on, we have about five minutes to get outta here before the new guards come out," Duncan says. Courtney looks at him like he's crazy.

"And just how the heck are you planning to do that?" she asks. And, in response, the ropes holding Duncan fall to the floor. Courtney gasps and Duncan starts sawing away at her ropes with his pocket knife.

"This baby comes in handy," Duncan says, smirking. Once her ropes were off, Duncan runs and leads her to an air vent about two feet off the ground. He unscrews the screws holding the metal grate in place with his hands. "Hurry, climb in."

Courtney quietly crawls into the metal air vent and Duncan can't help but stare at her butt. He mentally slaps himself. Duncan crawls in after her and re-attaches the screws with his fingers. Then they squeeze next to each other and watch the warehouse from between the metal slats of the grate.

Soon the guards come out from the office. Their heads turn towards the ropes lying on the ground but they keep walking. But then they do a double-take, and with wide eyes, run back into the office. Seconds later, alarms started to sound and red lights started to flash.

"Should we get out while we can or wait for the coast to be clear?" Duncan whispers.

"While we can," Courtney replies, and they turn around, crawling through the tunnels. "Here's a way out." Moonlight shone through the metal slats as Duncan unscrewed the grate. He hopped out of the air vent and held his hand out. Courtney took his hand as she stood up on sold ground, and they ran from the docks.

She pulled her hand away from Duncan as she realized they were still holding hands. Duncan smirks and Courtney blushes, but then they both flinch as they hear a metal door slam shut. "There they are!" a man shouts. Courtney's eyes bulge, and Duncan runs over to a Sea-Doo.

Duncan hops on the little watercraft and turns to Courtney. "Hop on!"

Courtney straddles the Sea-Doo and wraps her arms around Duncan. With a slight roar, they fly off towards Las Angeles. Courtney turns her head and looks through the mist at the island. A couple guys had hopped on their own Sea-Doo's and were now after them. "They're chasing us!" Courtney warns Duncan.

"Don't worry about it, Princess," Duncan says calmly. Courtney peeks over her shoulder at the men. All of a sudden, Duncan blasted the motor and they lurched forward. Courtney yelps and grabs a tighter hold of Duncan. Still looking at their pursuitors, Courtney sees them reach into their pockets and retrieve a dark object.

"Uh, Duncan, I think they have guns," she says. Duncan hears a slight 'boom' and there is a splash in the water to the left of him.

"Yeah, they definitely do," Duncan says grimly, tightly gripping the handlebars. It suddenly seemed to be raining bullets because of the splashes the bullets were causing in the ocean. But Duncan kept swerving the Sea-Doo, dodging them.

He finally arrives at the dock, and he and Courtney jump onto the dock, sprinting for Duncan's motorcycle. Duncan hops on the seat and tugs on his helmet. Courtney was barely on the seat until Duncan guns the motor and they were on the move. "Sorry I don't have another helmet," Duncan apologizes, running a red light. But nobody was around, so it didn't matter.

"It's fine. It doesn't look like they're chasing us, so--"

But all of a sudden, a bright yellow car whips around the corner behind them and starts chasing after them. "Oops, uh, actually, it looks like they found a car," Courtney says.

"What kind is it?" Duncan asks. Fireworks were flashing and exploding in the night sky, since it _was_ the Fourth of July, after all.

"How should I know?" Courtney asks, "I'm a girl."

"Describe it."

"Well… it's _yellow_…" Courtney tries. Duncan chuckles.

"I'll need more than that, Princess," he requests.

"Okay…" Courtney says, and turns her head. "Well, it's yellow, and shiny, and flat-looking. It looks _very_ aerodynamic… Oh, and there's a bull on the front of it."

"A bull? Then it must be a Lamborghini, right?" Duncan asks.

"Uh… sure?"

"They can go a bit over 210 miles per hour," he says. Courtney gulps.

"We _can_ outrun them, right?" she asks. Duncan laughs.

"No way, darling! My motorcycle is the fastest motorcycle on the market; a whopping 180 miles per hour," he says, laughing again, "Which is no match for the Lamborghini." Courtney bites her lip and turns her head, looking at the car. It was much closer now.

"Than how'll we escape?" Courtney asks. Duncan ignores her question and rockets onto the highway. He swerves between cars, snaking ahead of their enemies.

"Like this," he finally replies, minutes later. He slows the motorcycle down, so the Lamborghini catches up. Once the yellow car was just barely to the left of the, Duncan turns the motorcycle so they steer off the exit ramp at the last possible second. Duncan and Courtney fly down the road and the car flies by on the overhead ramp, just a flash of yellow.

Courtney discovered she was hyperventilating, so she struggled to control her breathing as Duncan steered into the hotel parking lot. Courtney gasps. "The _Crown Plaza Hotel_??"

Duncan smirks as he swiftly climbs off the motorcycle seat, pulls off his helmet, and shakes out his mohawk. "Only the best for my Princess."


	4. The Hotel Room

Duncan opens the hotel door with a flourish. "Your room, Your Highness," he says in a British accent. Courtney laughs and slightly shoves his shoulder.

"Alright, Duncan, enough with the 'Princess' charade," she warns him. Then she looks at the room and gasps. "Jeez, Duncan, how could you _afford_ all this?!"

He shrugs and shuts the hotel door, leaning against it and smirking. "I had some money in my bank account," he answers simply. Meanwhile, Courtney was running around the room, marveling at the crystal-clear bathroom and the huge bedroom and the amazing living room with the flat-screen TV.

But then she runs over to the large window and grabs the curtains, getting ready to throw them open to see the view. Duncan grabs her wrists. She turns to face him and he lowers them to her sides.

"What's wrong?" she asks, eyebrows furrowed.

"We should keep the curtains closed, especially when those… _kidnappers_ are looking for us," Duncan replies.

"Oh," Courtney says quietly and, with renewed enthusiasm, starts running about the hotel room again. Duncan chuckles and sits on the king-sized bed. A few minutes later, Courtney dives onto the bed next to him.

"I don't know if I'm going crazy or if I'm just _really_ happy I'm out of that warehouse," she says, beaming. Duncan grins and falls backwards onto the bed. Courtney rolls sideways off the bed and stands up at the footboard and opens her mouth. Duncan looks at her, waiting for her to say something.

She finally blushes and twiddles her thumbs. "Uh, my pajamas are kindof at my house… and I was _wondering_ if it wasn't that big of a _hassle_ that maybe I could… borrow something to wear?" she asks quietly. Duncan smirks.

"Well, _Princess_, let's see what I've got," he replies, leading her towards his duffel bag, which by then had been tossed to the floor. Courtney dutifully follows him. He crouches down and ruffles through his bag.

"Is this alright?" Duncan asks, holding up one of his black skull shirts. Courtney takes it, holding the shirt with two fingers.

"It'll have to do," she says grimly, walking into the huge bathroom. A couple minutes later, she walks out of the bathroom, leaving her clothes piled up on the floor (except her bra and underwear, of course!). She sees Duncan leaning against the bedpost, arms crossed, and grinning at her.

"What?!" she asks self-consciously, crossing her arms over her chest.

"You, uh, look good," Duncan says shyly. He scratches the back of his head and looks everywhere in the room but at Courtney. She smiles and looks down at herself. Duncan's shirt went down just three inches below her butt, much shorter than any skirt Courtney had ever worn. The skull emblem wasn't over her chest, it was right under her chest, on her stomach. The head hole of the shirt was very wide, like a V-neck shirt. The sleeves went down almost to Courtney's elbows.

She jumps on the bed and burrows under the covers. Courtney looks at Duncan, who still hasn't said anything after that last comment. "I'm going to bed," she says, fluffing up the pillows.

Finally, Duncan starts moving. "I'll set up the couch," he says. He walks over to the plush couch, and tosses the decorative pillows on a chair.

"Why?"

"Because you're sleeping on the bed," Duncan replies with a trace of 'duh' in his voice. Courtney fingers the silky soft bed sheets and watches Duncan.

"Well, there's a lot of space in this bed, after all, it _is_ king-sized, but, uh, anyway, if you _want_, maybe you could…" "Sleep in that bed with you?" Duncan finishes for her. She nods. Duncan smiles.

"But only if you promise not to touch me!" Courtney quickly adds. Duncan shrugs.

"I can live with that." Duncan puts the pillows back on the couch and heads off to the bathroom. When he comes out, all he's wearing is a clean pair of boxers and a white undershirt/tank top. As he walks to his side of the bed, he says, "No need to stare, doll-face."

Courtney blushes and burrows deeper into the sheets, planting her face in a bleach-white, down-filled pillow as if to prove a point. Duncan smirks and climbs into the bed. There were at least three feet of extra space between them.

"G'night, Princess," Duncan says.

"Night, Duncan." He reaches for the remote control on the table by the bed and presses the buttons, turning off all the lights.

An hour later, Duncan was still awake. And judging by the glowing whites of Courtney's eyes, so was she. Duncan was laying on his back, like he always does when he sleeps. His hands were under his head, and his elbows were out. He turns his head to look out the flimsy curtain. Tons of little specks of light shone through the cloth.

All of a sudden, Duncan feels something warm and soft by his side. He turns his head and sees Courtney pressed to his side. Warmth was radiating from her in waves. Duncan looked her in the eyes, which were looking at him as if she needed permission to be this close to him. Duncan blinks in response and she tears her eyes away from him. Courtney's hair was spilling all over Duncan's left arm and he tried to ignore the fact that he could feel her butt against his thigh, even through his shirt she was wearing and his own boxers.

He heard her breathing turn even, which meant she was finally sleeping. Duncan decided to risk his man-parts and snake his arm over Courtney's waist. Once his arm was in place, he lets out a sigh of relief. No kick to the balls. A few minutes later, he was asleep.

_

* * *

_

I gotta feeling... That tonight's gonna be a good night,

That tonight's gonna be a good night,

That tonight's gonna be a good, good night.

_I gotta feeling... Woohoo_

_That tonight's gonna be a good night, _

_That tonight's gonna be a good night,_

_That tonight's gonna be a good, good night._

_I gotta feeling... _

_Tonight's the night! _

_Let's live it up._

_I got my money,_

_Let's spend it up,_

_Go out and smash it,_

_Like Oh My God!_

_Jump off that sofa,_

_Let's get, get OFF!_

_I know that we'll have a ball._

_If we get down,_

_And go out,_

_And just lose it all,_

_I feel stressed out._

_I wanna let it go._

_Lets go way out, spaced out,_

_And loosing all control._

_Fill up my cup, _

_Mozoltov!_

_Look at her dancing,_

_Just take it... OFF!_

_Lets paint the town,_

_We'll shut it down._

_Let's burn the roof,_

_And then we'll do it again._

_Lets do it,_

_Lets do it,_

_Lets do do it,_

_Let's live it up!_

_And do it,_

_And do it,_

_And do it,_

_And do it, do do it,_

_Lets do it,_

_Lets do it,_

_Lets do it._

_Cause I gotta feeling..._

_That tonight's gonna be a good night,_

_That tonight's gonna be a good night,_

_That tonight's gonna be a good, good night._

_I gotta feeling... WoooHooo_

_That tonight's gonna be a good night,_

_That tonight's gonna be a good night,_

_That tonight's gonna be a good, good night._

_I gotta feeling…_

_Tonight's the night (HEY!)_

_Let's live it up, lets live it up._

_I got my money (I'm paid)_

_Lets spend it up,_

_Lets spend it up!_

_Go out and smash it, smash it._

_Like Oh My God, Like Oh My God!_

_Jump off that sofa,_

_Come On!_

_Lets get, get OFF!_

_Fill up my cup (Drank)_

_Mozoltov (Lame)_

_Look at her dancing (Move it, Move it)_

_Just take it... OFF!_

_Lets paint the town (Paint the town)_

_We'll shut it down (Shut it down)_

_Lets burn the roof (Woooooo)_

_And then we'll do it again._

_Lets do it,_

_Lets do it,_

_Lets do it,_

_Live it up!_

_And do it,_

_And do it,_

_And do it, do do it,_

_Lets do it,_

_Lets do it, do it, do it, do it._

_Here we come,_

_Here we go!_

_We gotta rock._

_Easy come,_

_Easy go,_

_Now we on the shot,_

_Body rock,_

_Rock it, don't stop. _

_Roundand round,_

_Up and down,_

_Around the town._

_Monday,_

_Tuesday,_

_Wednesday and Thursday,_

_Friday,_

_Saturday,_

_Saturday to Sunday, _

_Get, get, get, get, get with us._

_know what we say, say:_

_Party everyday,_

_P-P-Party everyday!_

_I'm feeling…_

_That tonight's gonna be a good night,_

_That tonight's gonna be a good night, _

_That tonight's gonna be a good, good night._

_I gotta feeling… _

_That tonight's gonna be a good night, _

_That tonight's gonna be a good night, _

_That tonight's gonna be a good, good night. Wooo._

_~~~I Gotta Feeling by the Black Eyed Peas_

**(Author's Note: I'm thinking of doing songs at the end of chapters like this, if it goes with the story. Btw, sorry I cut this story short, but I just did it because something else is gonna happen in the next chapter and I didn't want to cut **_**this**_** chapter short in the middle of **_**that **_**if I put it in **_**this**_** chapter. Get it? Lol. So, don't worry, chapters with the songs won't be abnormally short.)**


	5. Gunshots and Notes

Duncan and Courtney wake with a start in the middle of the night. Duncan was sitting up straight in bed, with one arm still around Courtney. Courtney was still laying down, but with wide eyes and ears alert. Somebody was banging on the front door of their hotel room.

"Do you think it's them?" Courtney whispers. Duncan quietly climbs out of the bed and tip-toes towards the door. "Be careful, Duncan." He peeks through the peep-hole and walks back towards Courtney.

"Yeah, it's them. But follow me," he whisper-orders. Duncan grabs the hotel phone and leads Courtney into the master bathroom. He locks the door behind them and dials the front desk.

"Hello? Um, yeah, there are some people bothering us. They're banging on our front door, so, could you come up and stop them?" Duncan asks. "They may have a gun, so be careful." Duncan hangs up the phone and turns to Courtney, who was curled up. She was sitting on the closed toilet lid with her arms around her legs. Duncan didn't point out that her gray boy-short underwear was showing; it would just upset her more.

Finally, they hear security guards show up in the hallway. Duncan and Courtney flinch and look at each other when they hear gunshots. It was silent for a minute, until they heard the click of their hotel door opening. Courtney's eyes shot wide open and Duncan grabbed her wrist. He tugged her towards the bathtub. "Hide here," he ordered, and she obediently sat in the corner of the porcelain tub. Duncan drew the shower curtain closed, hiding Courtney.

"You in here?" a deep voice asks, banging on the bathroom door.

"Yeah."

"Well, unlock the door!"

"Could I have a police badge or some other form of identification?" Duncan requests, smirking, even though he knew perfectly well that if the kidnappers had shot the guards that they could've just plucked their badges off their bodies. A gold police badge slides under the door.

"I.D.?" Duncan asks. The man grumbles some more from the other side of the door, before an I.D. slides under the door. Duncan picks it up and inspects the man's picture: bushy brown mustache, bald, wrinkles, liver spots on his cheeks. Duncan opens the bathroom door and there stands a cop.

"You did a good job checking it was me before you opened the door," the policeman says, "There were three goons outside, and when me and my friend got here, they drew their guns on us. Of course, we shot them before they could shoot _us_." Duncan nods and retrieves Courtney from the bathtub. He holds her hand as she steps over the slippery ledge.

"So they're… dead?" Courtney asks.

"Yep, you're safe," the guard says, walking back out into the hallway. Duncan and Courtney follow him, still holding hands. Courtney gasps when she sees the dead bodies and the blood pooling on the floor, and her hand grips Duncan's tighter. "You two can go back to bed. I'll get some more of my fellow policemen to help clean up the mess."

So Duncan shuts and locks the door, and they walk back to bed. Courtney silently crawls under the covers and Duncan just lays down next to her. She immediately curls up next to him and wraps her arms around his neck. Duncan's eyes widen at her upfront-ness, but he still places his hands on her back. Within minutes, she was asleep. Duncan smiles at her peaceful face, but soon he falls asleep, too.

* * *

The next morning, Courtney woke up to the soft clinking of silverware. She propped herself up on the multiple pillows in the bed and she rubbed her eyes. "What's all this?" she asks.

Duncan was sitting on the couch, eating a huge stack of pancakes. He smiles and carries the tray over to Courtney. He sets the silver tray in her lap and replies, "Breakfast."

"From where?"

"Ever heard of room service, darling?" Duncan sits on the edge of the bed with his plate of pancakes and digs in. Courtney looks at her tray and starts eating.

Two pancakes later, she was holding her stomach. "Ughhh. I'm full," she complains. Duncan's eyes widen in amusement.

"The Princess can only eat _two_ pancakes?" he mocks. Courtney glares at him and then she grins.

"Whatever."

"Guess what we're going to do today?" Duncan asks, starting to eat Courtney's stack of rejected pancakes.

"What?"

"We're going shopping," Duncan says, smirking. Courtney's eyes bulged. Back when they were going out, Courtney would always force Duncan to go shopping with her, even though he detested it. Now he voluntarily was _wanting_ to go shopping?

"What's in it for you?" Courtney asks suspiciously. Duncan shrugs.

"Nothing. I just want to stop at a store _I_ want to go to after you're finished," Duncan answers.

"And what store would that be?"

But Duncan ignores her. Instead, Duncan says simply, "You better start getting dressed soon. Your favorite mall is a half hour away, right?"

* * *

Duncan drove out of the hotel parking lot on his motorcycle, with Courtney sitting on the back. "Could we maybe stop by my house to tell my parents I'm alright?" she asks.

"Sure," Duncan replies. But once they reach the street where Courtney's house was, Duncan gasped.

"What is it?" Courtney asks. There were _no_ police cars, _no_ crime scene tape, _no_ police dogs. It looked like everything from yesterday had disappeared. But Duncan couldn't _tell_ Courtney that her parents had given up the search for her.

"Nothing. Just, um, nice neighborhood," he says. He pulls his motorcycle into her driveway and gets off.

"Well, don't even think of robbing somebody," Courtney teases, getting the house key from under the doormat. She holds the screen door open with her hip as she unlocks the front door.

"Princess! What kind of guy do you think I am?" Duncan asks, smirking. They walk into Courtney's house.

"Mom? Dad?" Courtney calls. No answer. She turns to Duncan. "They must be at work. I'm gonna take a shower since I haven't had one since I was, uh, kidnapped. You can watch TV or whatever until I'm done."

Forty-five minutes later, Courtney walks downstairs with freshly blow-dried hair and clean clothes. "Alright, we can go, but first I wanna write a note to my parents," she says. So Duncan shuts off the TV and follows her to the kitchen, where she gets a pen and a piece of paper.

The note reads: 'Dear Mom and Dad, I'm with Duncan. Don't worry, I know what you're thinking. He _didn't_ kidnap me, he saved me.' Courtney was about to sign her name when Duncan grabbed her wrist.

"Tell them you won't be back home for a while," Duncan says grimly. Courtney looks at him in confusion.

"Why? We escaped. We're safe, now, right?" she asks. Duncan was still holding her wrist.

"No."

"Well, why not?"

Duncan sighs, lets go of her thin wrist, and digs in his pocket. "Because… I found this slipped under our hotel door this morning," he says, handing her a folded-up note. She takes it and unfolds it.

Then Courtney shrieks and drops it. "What _is_ that?!"

Duncan bends down and picks up the note, which had a red splotches all over it. "I know. These guys are sick. This is dried blood," Duncan explains.

"Ew," Courtney murmurs, wringing her shaking hands. Duncan sets the note on the counter, and she reads it silently. 'So you managed to kill three of our comrades. Good job! Though not really, since those three were our weakest members. They would have been easy to kill with just my bare hands. We have 30 alliances left. Little by little, I'll send them for you. If you manage to survive after all 30 attackers, then it'll be my turn. And trust me, you two will not be breathing once I'm finished. Sweet dreams.'

After Courtney read the note, her knees started feeling wobbly. Suddenly, she felt Duncan's arms wrap around her waist. "I'm sorry I had to show you that," he whispers in her ear, causing shivers up her spine. She shook her head.

"No, I had to know," she mumbles. Then Courtney crouches over her note to her parents again and finishes it. The note: 'Dear Mom and Dad, I'm with Duncan. Don't worry, I know what you're thinking. He _didn't_ kidnap me, he saved me. But I'm not going to be able to come home until we finish something we have to do. I don't know how long it'll take, but for right now, it's too dangerous to just go back and start living life normally again. Love you, Courtney.'

"You better pack your bags," Duncan suggests. Courtney nods and walks upstairs to her room. Duncan follows her.


	6. Thoughts

Courtney sits on the back of Duncan's motorcycle and wraps her arms around his torso. Through his shirt, she could feel his abs.

_His rock-hard abs…,_ she thinks. But then Courtney shakes her head to rid herself of that thought.

_Courtney! Stop it! You don't love Duncan!_

But the voice in her head thought otherwise. _Yes you do!_

_NO, I don't!_

_Then why have you never been on a date since you dumped Duncan a whole YEAR ago, even though, like, twenty guys have asked you out? _the voice retorts.

_Because…uh…because I still missed him, okay? But that was then, and this is now._

_So you missed him and didn't date any boy, no matter how hot they were, but now that Duncan's here, you all of a sudden don't like him anymore?_

_Yes._

_Sounds like somebody's in denial,_ the voice gloats.

_I DO NOT LIKE DUNCAN!_

_Mmhmm. You keep telling yourself that._

_Listen, Voice/Conscience/Whatever-You-Are, I do NOT like Duncan. I…I couldn't! After things go back to normal, we'll be halfway across the country from each other again._

_IF things go back to normal, you mean. Just admit it, you like him, _the voice says.

_I don't like him! …I love him._

* * *

Duncan was driving his motorcycle towards the mall. Courtney had already told him that she didn't feel like shopping anymore, not that he could blame her, but he still had to go to his store. Also, he was starting to sweat. Not because the helmet was making his forehead hot, even though that was part of the reason he was sweating, but more because Courtney's boobs were pressed against his back.

Duncan inwardly groans. Why did he have to be so perverted? Its not like Courtney was doing it on _purpose_, I mean, they _were_ riding his motorcycle after all. You kindof have to.

_Stop making excuses, Duncan, you love it_, says the voice in his head.

_Well, yeah, but I'm a GUY. Anybody would love it._

_And you love HER, too._

_What?! Who are you to be telling me who I like?_

_I'm the voice in your head. I am in charge of all of your unconscious thoughts. And your thoughts say you love her._

_Shut up. And if my THOUGHTS say I love her, why don't I know?_

_That would be _my_ job, my friend._

_To tell me who I like?_ Duncan thinks sarcastically. But he couldn't help but feel Courtney tighten her grip on him.

_I'm just _alerting _you to who you…think is attractive, in sorts._

_Well, I DO like Courtney, but she hates me._

_What makes you think that?_

_She dumped me! Or have you forgotten, Oh Beloved Wise One of My Inner Thoughts?_

_Cut the sarcasm, Duncan. Anyway, that 'dumping' business was a whole year ago. How do you know she hasn't changed her mind?_

_Because she hasn't. She's Courtney. She's stubborn._

_Apparently you are, too. Last night, when she fell asleep in your arms, did that mean NOTHING to you?_

_She was just…scared._

_Yeah, maybe. Or maybe there was something else, too._

_Fine! Will you shut up if I tell Courtney I love her?_

_Yep! But you better hurry up, Romeo, you both may be killed soon. _

_Gee, thanks for the ego boost._

**(Author's Note: Aww! So cute. I had the perfect song for this, by the way, but I thought it would be too much italics in one chapter, lol. I'll probably include it in the next chapter.)**


	7. Aiden and The Van

"So what store are we going to, Duncan?" Courtney asks. They were walking across the parking lot towards the huge shopping mall. He shrugs.

"Just Bass Pro," he replies. **(Author's Note: Bass Pro is like a hunting/fishing/outdoors shop.)** Courtney looks at Duncan weird. She never knew he was a hunting/fishing kinda guy.

But they walk into the store anyway and head for the hunting department. "I didn't know you hunted," Courtney said. Duncan picked up a hand pistol and brought it to the front counter.

"I don't," he said grimly. Then Courtney understood. Duncan wasn't going to be shooting animals… he was going to be shooting _people_. Living, breathing, people. Courtney grabbed his arm.

"You're not going to _shoot_ anybody with that, are you?" Courtney whispered.

"Listen, Princess, I don't want to. But you know what that note said. _They're_ coming after _us_. I'm gonna have to defend us somehow. And I'm _not_ going to let them lay one finger on you," he whisper-replies, nervously eyeing the other customers in case they heard. Courtney was silent.

Duncan heads over to the counter and shows the clerk his I.D. The clerk rings up the purchase, and Duncan hands over the money. Before she knew it, Courtney was with Duncan outside the mall. She still hadn't removed her arm from his.

"Sure you're okay, Courtney?" Duncan asks. One hand was slightly brushing Courtney's waist, like he was afraid to fully touch her.

"Yeah, I guess I'm just nervous," she replies, looking him in the eye. "I mean, it's like cat and mouse, you know? And I just don't…"

"Like being the mouse?" Duncan finishes for her. She nods.

"One wrong move and--"

"COURTNEY!" Duncan shouts. He wraps his arms around her waist and pulls her between two parked cars. The sound of squealing tires fills the air, and the smell of burning rubber tickles their noses. A rusty white van squealed to a stop right where Courtney and Duncan had previously been standing. The sliding door opened and five men ran out.

"Run!" Duncan hisses, grabbing Courtney's hand and leading them through the parked cars. They run for Duncan's motorcycle and jump on. Duncan roars the motorcycle to life and quickly backs out of the parking space. Courtney's arms were wrapped tightly around his torso.

They zoom through the parking lot and the kidnappers dive for the escaping teens. But Duncan weaves his motorcycle away from them and onto the road. A half hour later, they were back at the hotel.

Duncan opens the door to their room and takes his duffel bag off the couch, flinging it on the bed. He started thrusting his clothes, hairspray, and other stuff into the bag.

"What are you doing?" Courtney asks quietly, still startled from the van incident.

"Packing," he replies. "You should, too. We're leaving."

"For where?"

"San Diego. I have some friends down there who could help us." Duncan zips his duffel bag closed and retrieves Courtney's backpack from under the bed.

"You think it'll get that bad? That we'll need help?" she asks, tossing a huge arm-full of dirty clothes on the bed. Duncan puts his hands on her shoulders and looks her in the eye.

"Courtney. We were nearly run over by them! That's bad. I'm sorry it's gotten so serious, but we need help. Just a stupid gun isn't gonna defend us," Duncan explains.

"So we'll be staying at your friend's house?"

Duncan nods. "A bunch of my other friends will be at his house, too," he says.

"How long will we be there?"

Duncan sighs and runs a hand through his pitch-black hair. "Maybe a couple weeks? I seriously don't know. I guess it'll last until this whole ordeal is over." He sighs again. "I just wanna keep you safe, Princess."

"Of _course_ I'll be safe. We can--"

"Courtney, this isn't just one of your extra-credit projects. This is real life. Like you said in the parking lot: It's cat-and-mouse. They're the cats, we're the mice. One wrong move and we're _dead_."

"I know," she mumbles, as Duncan digs in his pockets.

"Take this," he says, dropping the cold metal object in her hand.

"Your pocket knife?" Courtney asks, amazed Duncan would ever part with it.

"Yeah. I wanna be sure you could defend yourself, if you ever have to. And I'm not sure I could quite handle giving you a gun yet," Duncan explains with his trademark smirk. "Thanks, Duncan." Courtney wraps her arms around Duncan's torso in a hug. The Swiss Army knife was tucked in her warm fist and her head was on Duncan's chest. Duncan's eyes widened, but he still gently wrapped his arms around Courtney's shoulders and rested his chin on the top of her head.

"Anytime, Princess."

* * *

"Courtney, wake up," Duncan said. They were sitting on Duncan's motorcycle in front of his friend's house. It was sunset in San Diego. They had drove for four hours. Usually it only took two or three hours, but for some reason, there was a lot of traffic. Courtney had fallen asleep leaning on Duncan's back after a half hour of driving.

"Mm? What time is it?" she asks drowsily.

"It's, like, 5:00. Come on, we're at Aiden's house," Duncan says. He picks up his and Courtney's luggage and led her up the driveway. Cars were parked in the front yard, the driveway, and up and down the street.

Once they step foot on the porch, the front door opens. A tall, muscular man was standing there with arms crossed over his chest, sunglasses on, and a tight black shirt. Courtney's eyes widened. He was _huge_! At _least_ four times the size of her.

Duncan grins at the bodyguard. "Hey, Vince." The huge guy, apparently named Vince, grinned back at Duncan. They grabbed hands, pulled themselves towards each other, bumped shoulders, then patted each other's backs.

"What's up, Duncan?" Vince says. His voice was super low.

"Nothing much, Vince, just running away from bloodthirsty kidnappers… The usual," Duncan says, shrugging. Vince laughs.

"And who's this lovely lady?" Vince asks, turning his attention to Courtney, who blushed.

"I'm Courtney Summers," she says, "It's very nice to meet you, um, Vince." They shake hands.

"So you're Duncan's damsel in distress?"

Courtney stomps her foot on the wooden floorboards on the porch. "I am _not_ his damsel in distress!" she protests. Vince and Duncan laugh.

"C'mon, Court," Duncan says, leading her into the house. Courtney gasps. There were lights in a wide array of colors, strobe lights, black lights, huge speakers in every corner, and multiple disco balls. In the middle of the room was a writhing mass of dancing teenagers. And from what Courtney could see, she was one of just a couple girls in the whole house.

"Duncan! My man! What's up, dude?" a guy with shaggy black hair asks. He had a few red streaks in his hair and was wearing an outfit similar to Duncan's. Although, instead of the skull symbol like Duncan, he had a green guitar on his black shirt.

"Nothing much, man," Duncan replies, bumping fists with the guy. Then Duncan turns to Courtney. "Courtney, this is Aiden. Aiden, this is Courtney."

Aiden turned to Courtney and bowed, bending himself almost in half. "How do you like being Duncan's girlfriend?" he asked once he stood up straight again.

"I'm not his girlfriend!"

Aiden looks at Duncan, who shrugs and nods. "Could you tell us where our rooms are?" Duncan asks. Aiden nods.

"Yeah, dude, of course. It's upstairs and your third door on your right," Aiden explains.

"Thanks." Courtney and Duncan weave through the crowded living room, which smelled like a nauseating combo of cigarette smoke and beer. They walked up the dim stairway into the hallway. Duncan opened the bedroom door.

The room was pretty bare. All it had was plain white walls, beige carpet, white plastic blinds on the huge window, a twin-sized bed, a wooden dresser, and a full-length mirror. "Well, this'll have to do, right, Princess?" Duncan asks as he drops their bags in front of the dresser.

"Yeah, I guess."

**(Author's Note: Sorry I haven't updated in a few days, but I was having my early birthday party. Lol. My birthday is really on July 22, although my friend who moved to Texas came to visit. So, I decided to have my birthday early so she could be there. Sorry I took forever to type this chappie!)**


	8. Dance Party

"You finally done unpacking, darling?" Duncan asks. He was laying on their only bed for tonight: a tiny, twin-sized bed. It was only four feet wide and seven feet long. Duncan couldn't wait to go to sleep tonight.

"Yep!" Courtney exclaims, closing the dresser drawer with her hip and kicking her backpack under their bed.

"Wanna go downstairs?" he asks. Courtney grimaces.

"With all that beer and cigarette smoke…? I think not. I'll just stay up here and… do whatever," she excuses herself. Duncan strokes his small goatee, pretending to be deep in thought.

"No way, Princess," he finally says, "You're coming with me." Duncan stands up from the bed and takes her wrist, leading Courtney towards the door. But she grinds the heels of her feet into the ground and stops him in his tracks. "What?"

"I don't wanna go to that party! There'll be… beer… and smoking… and… and, um…"

"That's it. You don't have to drink the beer, and you don't have to smoke. Just please come dance with me," Duncan pleads.

"Don't you know how bad second-hand smoke is for you?" Courtney chides. Duncan looks at her. She groans. "Ugh, _fine_. I'll come."

"Awesome!" Duncan exclaims. He takes Courtney's hand and leads her downstairs to the party. As they reach the middle of the dance floor, he releases her hand and they start to dance.

After dancing to a couple songs, Courtney steps closer to Duncan so he could hear her in the loud living room. "I'm thirsty. I'm going to the kitchen," she tells him. Courtney weaves through the dancing bodies, with Duncan following after her. "_Jeez_, it was hot over there!" Courtney exclaims, fanning her red face.

She was searching through the fridge for something to drink. Duncan reaches over her shoulder and grabs a can of beer. Courtney hears the pop and hiss behind her of the can being opened. _Is there anything to drink here except beer_?

Eventually she shuts the refrigerator door in defeat. Instead, Courtney opens a cabinet and grabs a glass. She twists the handles on the kitchen sink, but no water comes out. "What the heck?"

"Oh, yeah. They don't pay for water. So we don't have it," Duncan explains, taking a sip of beer. Courtney groans and opens the fridge. She walks over to Duncan with a can of beer in her hands.

"Ohh, Princess has a dark side!"

"Shut up. I'm freaking thirsty." Courtney sets the beer on the counter and looks around the kitchen. It was empty. Before Duncan even knew what she was doing, Courtney had her gray sweater off. "I'm also freaking _hot_," she complains, sticking her tongue out for emphasis.

Duncan tried to hide his smirk, but Courtney saw it and she glared at him. "Whatever," she mumbles, struggling to open her can of beer. Duncan brushes her hands away and opens it for her. The foam rises to the edge of the opening, then settles back down, revealing the honey-colored liquid.

Courtney tentatively sniffed it. She screwed her face up into a grimace. "I tastes better than it smells," Duncan offers. So she slowly raises the can to her lips to take a tiny sip.

She spits the beer into the sink. "_Yuck_!" she exclaims. Duncan laughs at Courtney's facial expression. Her button nose was bunched up, her lips were puckered, and her onyx eyes were all squinty.

"It tastes better the second time."

Courtney laughs wryly. "Yeah, _right_! That's the nastiest stuff in the world!" she protests. Duncan shrugs and leans against the counter, nonchalantly sipping his beer as he watches the party in the living room. Little did Courtney know, he was also watching her in his peripheral vision. She carefully sips the beer and forces it down her throat. Courtney makes another face, but a less drastic one than before. After a couple more gulps from Courtney, Duncan turns to face her.

"Liking it?" he asks. Courtney blushes and shrugs.

"It got… better."

"Are you ready to go back and dance?" Duncan asks. Aiden had been motioning for him to come back to the party for the past five minutes.

"Yeah, sure," Courtney replies. They leave their drinks on the counter and walk back into the living room. As soon as they reach the middle of the dance floor, Aiden makes eye contact with Duncan from the DJ booth. As soon as Aiden starts playing the next song, Duncan smirks. Aiden gives him a thumbs up.

_I make them good girls go bad  
I make them good girls go--  
Good girls go bad_.

Duncan looks at Courtney to see her reaction from the song choice. But to his surprise, she was dancing her ass off. Not literally... but she was dancing pretty darn sexy. Duncan freezes up for a couple seconds, but eventually starts dancing with her.

_I know your type;  
You're daddy's little girl.  
Just take a bite,  
Let me shake up your world.  
'Cause just one night couldn't be so wrong.  
I'm gonna make you lose control.  
She was so-o-o-o-o shy,  
Till I dro-o-o-o-ove her wi-i-ild. _

Duncan turns his head to look at Aiden. Duncan grins and Aiden grins back. But once Duncan turns his head back towards Courtney, he almost has a heart attack. Actually, more like the zipper on his pants were being put under some _serious_ pressure. An idiot was dancing with his cup of beer, the foamy liquid slowly drenching the top right Courtney's white cotton shirt. Her _thin_ cotton shirt. With nothing under it except her bra. Duncan shoves the drunk guy away from her before he gets any ideas.

_I make them good girls go bad,  
I make them good girls go bad.  
You were hanging in the corner,  
With your five best friends.  
You heard that I was trouble,  
But you couldn't resist.  
I make them good girls go bad,  
I make them good girls go--  
Good girls go ba-a-ad._

A couple guys were starting to dance around Courtney. Clearly she didn't mind because, as Duncan could tell, her eyes were already glazed-- a sure sign of being drunk. There was no denying it: Courtney was hot. Too bad she couldn't hold her liquor. She started singing the next part:

_"I know your type:  
Boy, you're dan-ger-ous!  
Yeah, you're that guy.  
I'd be stupid to trust,  
But just one night couldn't be so wrong.  
You make me wanna lose control." _

Duncan was wondering why-- and how-- Courtney even knew this song. But it didn't matter; Too many guys were starting to dance around Courtney. There were just about five girls, total, in the living room. Since four of them were already making out off the dancefloor, there was just Courtney left. Duncan had to do something.

_She was so-o-o-o-o shy,  
Till I dro-o-o-o-ove her wild.  
I make them good girls go bad,  
I make them good girls go bad.  
I was hanging in the corner,  
With my five best friends.  
I heard that you were trouble,  
But I couldn't resist.  
I make them good girls go bad,  
I make them good girls go--  
Good girls go bad,  
Good girls go bad,  
Good girls go ba-a-ad._

Duncan bit his lip and stepped closer to Courtney. He felt like he was using Courtney in the state that she was in, but what better way would he get these pervs away from her than to act like she was taken? Duncan put a hand on her hip and the other in the air. One of Courtney's hands were lightly gripping Duncan's black collar, and her other arm was in the air with her hand curled up into a loose fist. She was swinging her hips and shaking her hair about her face.

_Oh, she got away with the boys in the place.  
Treat 'em like they don't stand a chance.  
And he got away with the girls in the back,  
Acting like they're too hot to dance.  
Yeah, she got away with the boys in the place.  
Treat 'em like they don't stand a chance.  
And he got away with the girls in the back,  
Acting like they're too hot to dance._

Little by little, the guys were disappearing from around Courtney. So, Duncan started to back off. But every time he tried to step back, Courtney would pull him closer.

_I make them good girls go bad.  
I make them good girls go--  
The good girls go bad, yeah.  
Good girls go bad.  
I was hanging in the corner,  
With my five best friends.  
I thought that you were trouble,  
But I couldn't resist.  
I make them good girls go bad,  
I make them good girls go bad.  
I make them good girls go--  
Good girls go ba-a-ad,  
Good girls go ba-a-ad,  
Good girls go--._

The song ended and Duncan grabbed Courtney's wrist. He led her off the dancefloor towards the stairs. "Come on, Courtney, you're a mess. Let's clean you up," Duncan says to her like he was taking to a kindergartener. She curled her lip but let Duncan walk her up the stairs with his arm around her waist.

"But Dunkyyy...," she whined. Duncan winced. Courtney _hated_ that nickname. Now she was _using_ that nickname? She definitely was drunk. And with just one can of beer! Duncan was never letting her near liquor again.

"Courtney...," Duncan warns. They walk into their bedroom and Duncan closes the door behind them. Duncan opens the dresser and grabs another white shirt and gray sweater for her. "Okay, Court, will you change into these clean clothes?"

She nods and starts taking off her shirt. "_Whoa, whoa, whoa, Courtney_!" Duncan exclaims, grabbing her wrists. "Change into clean clothes _after_ I leave the room, okay? Open the door once you're changed." Courtney nods again and Duncan leaves the room.

A couple minutes later, the door opens. "Alright, Courtney, I think you need to go to bed n--" Duncan begins. But he freezes up as he sees Courtney standing there in her capris and a bra.

"I took my shirt off like you wanted me to. Man, my head hurts," Courtney groans, rubbing her temples. Duncan puts a shaky hand on her shoulder and gently pushes her back into the room.

"Now put _on_ your clean shirts, okay?" he says.

"Oh. Okay." Courtney shuts the door.

Out in the hallway, Duncan leans against the wall. He slowly sinks until he's sitting on the floor. "Oh, boy...," he whispers with a faint smile on his face.


	9. Krispy Creme

**(Author's Note: Sorry, I forgot to say what song was playing last chapter. It was Good Girls Go Bad by Cobra Starship Feat. Leighton Meester. But, also, during the last chapter, I was listening to some other songs that reminded me of DxC: Good Girls Like Bad Boys by Jadyn Maria Feat. Flo Rida and If You Want It to Be Good Girl Get Yourself a Bad Boy by the Backstreet Boys. They're good songs, so… listen to them. Lol.)**

"Courtney? Are you done changing?" Duncan calls through the bedroom door. He sighs. It had been fifteen minutes. _What was taking her so long?_

Duncan took the doorknob and slowly eased the door open. "Courtney?"

She was sprawled out, sleeping, on the twin bed in Duncan's shirt. She wasn't in the shirt he'd _told_ her to change into, but, hey, it was clothes. Duncan changes into his pajamas and walks over to the bed.

Duncan slid his arms under Courtney to scoot her over. He slightly lifts her in the air and moves her to her own side. As he sets Courtney back down, she lets out a comfortable sigh and wraps her arms around Duncan's neck. "Courtney?" he whispers, but she keeps sleeping.

Duncan climbs into bed since Courtney's hold on his neck was like a death grip. He reaches down and grabs the sheets, pulling them over him and Courtney. She wiggles a bit until she finally quiets down. Her freezing feet were under Duncan's, and her arms were still around his neck.

Courtney's mouth was right next to Duncan's ear, and whenever she breathed, it sent a warm rush of air onto his ear and cheek, causing him shiver. Her breath smelled like beer, but her body still smelled like her usual perfume: a mixture of peaches and vanilla. Duncan was laying in bed with one arm around Courtney and the other on his bare stomach (he had accidentally left his only white tank top at the hotel). He looks at Courtney, with her thick eyelashes, silky soft brown hair framing her face, and her plump pink lips. Sure, tonight hadn't gone like Duncan planned. He sighed. _It was a lot better_.

* * *

Courtney moaned. Her head was _pounding. _It took her a couple minutes to remember what happened last night. Right: the music, the dancing, and the one freaking can of beer. Jeez.

Her neck hurt, too. The mattress on this bed felt like _crap_. It was way too firm. Speaking of firm… it felt weird. Not weird-weird, but different-weird. Courtney slowly opened her heavy eyelids. The light hurt her eyes.

Once her eyes were open, she saw what she was laying on. _Not_ a mattress. Courtney squeaked and rolled off Duncan's torso. But since the bed was so small, when she rolled off Duncan, she had actually rolled off the _bed_. Courtney fell on the floor with a 'thud'.

Duncan burst out laughing. Courtney glared at him. "_Shut_…_ up_," she growled. Courtney slowly stood up and took a step. But her feet were trapped, so she yelped and fell down again. Duncan started laughing harder.

"It's not funny!" she exclaims, trying to free her feet from the tangled bed sheets. Duncan stared at Courtney. His shirt she was wearing had ridden up, so her boy-shorts underwear and bare stomach was exposed. Courtney finally untied the bed sheets and stood up. She fixed her shirt, took a calming yoga-breath, and walked to the dresser.

Courtney stepped into the bathroom with a pair of clothes. After she got dressed, she stalked out of the room up to Duncan. She crossed her arms over her chest and waited for him to finish wiggling his jeans over his boxers. "Yes, Princess?" he finally asks.

Her arm whips out and smacks him in the shoulder. Duncan looks at his shoulder, then his gaze turns to Courtney. A smirk crawled along his lips. "Was that supposed to hurt, darling?"

Courtney shrieks in annoyance. "Yes! Err… _No_!" she corrects herself. She shook her head quickly. "It doesn't matter. What _matters_ is that you gave me a beer!"

"_I_ didn't give you the beer. _You_ took it from the fridge because you were 'thirsty'," Duncan explains, using air quotes around 'thirsty'. He crosses his arms to mimic Courtney.

"You _let_ me drink it," she counters.

Duncan sighs. "Yeah, yeah, of course I did. But if I would've taken it from you, you would've kicked me in the balls. And that's one experience I would _not_ wish to relive," he says.

"So you let me get drunk?! Now I have a freaking horrible hangover, thanks to you!" Courtney squeals.

"It was only one beer, Courtney. Jeez. You act like I forced you to pole-dance or whatever," Duncan accuses with a smirk.

Courtney glares at him, but then her eyes turn wide and her jaw drops. "I _didn't_ pole-dance. _Did_ I?!"

Duncan laughs. "No, but I probably would've enjoyed it if you did."

Courtney shrieks and smacks Duncan in the arm again. "You suck!! I'm going downstairs to get breakfast, anyway." She turns on her heel and stomps out of the bedroom. Duncan follows her, chuckling.

"What do you mean there's _no breakfast_?" Courtney is asking Aiden when Duncan steps into the kitchen.

"Uh… I _mean_ there's no breakfast," he replies, winking at Duncan. Duncan grins and shoves his hands in his pockets, leaning against the entranceway of the kitchen.

"I'll take you out for breakfast if you want, Princess," Duncan offers. Courtney tears her glare away from Aiden and turns to Duncan. She walks towards him and pokes him in the chest.

"Fine. But by 'take you out' that does _not_ mean it's a date," Courtney huffs. She pushes past Duncan and heads up the stairs.

"Dude, she's one feisty chick," Aiden says.

"I know, man. And that's just how I like 'em," Duncan replies, smirking.

* * *

"Do you know how many fat grams are in this?" Courtney asks the old lady behind the counter of Krispy Creme's.

"Vat are grams?" the lady asks in a thick Russian accent. _Right. They don't use grams to measure things in Russia_. Courtney scowls and follows after Duncan, who had already started walking away after paying. They sit in a booth.

"Why do you even care about 'fat grams'?" Duncan asks, finishing his doughnut in just a couple bites. Courtney watches in amazement.

"Because I have a fat butt," she answers, carefully biting into the original glazed doughnut and holding a napkin under her chin to catch the crumbs.

Duncan scoffs. "No way, Princess! What made you think that?" he asks, slouching in the booth and placing his hands behind his head.

"My mom," Courtney mumbles with a full mouth. "She says I have a bigger… _bottom_," Courtney chooses her words carefully, "than other girls."

"I'm not gonna lie, sweetheart, you do have a big butt--"

"Gee, thanks," Courtney says, rolling her eyes.

Duncan sits up in the booth and props his elbows up on the table. "Princess, you didn't let me finish! Now, you may have a big ass. But it's a _great_ ass, at that. You're not fat at all," he says casually as Courtney's face started turning red.

"Alright-y! As _much_ as I love talking about my butt; change of topic. How did you meet Aiden?"

"He was just a friend from middle school. No big deal," he answers as he watches Courtney set her doughnut down on a napkin and lift herself in the seat. She retrieves a BlackBerry Curve from her front pocket and sits back down.

Courtney looks at the screen and starts tapping away with her thumbs. _Fast_. Duncan was impressed. She pauses and waits for the phone to vibrate, which it does in the next couple seconds. Her face pales and she slides the phone across the table to Duncan.

He looks at the screen, which showed a text conversation. The first text said: "_Are you with Duncan?_" The next text, which Courtney had replied, said: "_Yeah. Why? Who is this?_" Then the next text, which was what Courtney wanted Duncan to see, said:

"_Who am I? I'm Sean. The 'leader of the kidnappers'. Why do I want to talk to Duncan? He's more…protective. Now, Duncan, listen up and listen well. Actually, just read. What I'm about to say is very important. After Courtney finishes her little breakfast, you are to go straight back to Aiden's house. Yes, I know who Aiden is. I know everything about you and Courtney. Anyway, just go back to his house. Once you're in the house, you aren't allowed to leave. If any of you do, I'll blow the house up. I swear I will. The bombs are already planted. If you don't go straight back to the house, I'll blow it up and kill Aiden. You'll have to stay in the house for the next three days. During those days, I'll send my friends after you. If you survive all of them, I will personally come and disconnect the bombs. But then you will have to deal with me. Sure, you could run away by then. But don't think I won't chase you down. Stay tuned for another text._"

Duncan looks up from the cellphone and hands it to Courtney. "I'm not hungry anymore," she mumbles. He nods.

"Let's go." They leave the restaurant with their trash still on the table. The old lady ignores them; she was still reading a Russian gossip magazine by the cash register.

Right as they leave the restaurant, though, Courtney grabs Duncan's hand and pulls him to the side. She stands on her tip-toes, wraps her arms around Duncan's neck, and kisses him.

Duncan wouldn't have been surprised if his heart melted and he threw it up. Or if his brain imploded. He hadn't kissed Courtney in a whole year. Her lips felt so soft… And tasted like doughnuts. He could almost hear Chris exclaim, _Bonus!_ in his head.

Duncan kisses Courtney back and hooks his thumbs through the belt loops of her capris, pulling her closer. He carefully leans into her until he feels her bump into the cool, smooth wall of the Kristy Creme store. Duncan reaches up and gently cups Courtney's cheek in his palm.

But they both knew why they were kissing... They might not get another chance.

**(Author's Note: Awww!!! Lol. Btw, the next song is Knock You Down by Keri Hilson Feat. Ne-Yo and Kayne West.)**

_Keep rockin', and keep knockin'  
Whether you Louis Vuitton it up or Reebokin'  
You see the hate, that they're servin' on a platter  
So what we gon' have, dessert or disaster?_

I never thought I'd be in love like this  
When I look at you my mind goes on a trip  
Then you came in, and knocked me on my face  
Feels like in I'm a race  
But I already won first place

I never thought I'd fall for you as hard as I did  
(As hard as I did, yeah)  
You got me thinkin' bout our life our house and kids, yeah  
Every mornin' I look at you and smile  
'Cause boy you came around and you knocked me down  
Knocked me down

Sometimes love comes around  
(Love comes around love comes around)  
And it knocks you down  
Just get back up  
When it knocks you down  
(Knocks you down)  
Sometimes love comes around  
(Love comes around)  
And it knocks you down  
Just get back up  
When it knocks you down  
(Knocks you down)

I never thought I'd, hear myself say, ooh, ya'll gon' head  
I think I'm gonna kick it wit my girl today, kick it wit my girl today  
I used to be commander and chief  
Of my pimp ship flyin' high, flyin' high)  
Til I met this pretty little missile that shot me out the sky  
(Oh shot me out the sky)

Hey, now I'm crashing, don't know how it happened  
But I know it feels so damn good  
Said if I could back, and make it happen faster  
Don't you know I would baby if I could  
Miss Independent, ohh, to the fullest, the load never too much  
She helpin' me pull it  
She shot the bullet that ended that life  
I swear to you the pimp in me just died tonight  
Girl sometimes love

Sometimes love comes around  
(Love comes around)  
And it knocks you down  
Just get back up  
When it knocks you down  
(Knocks you down)  
Sometimes love comes around  
(Love comes around)  
And it knocks you down  
Just get back up  
When it knocks you down  
(Knocks you down)

Tell me now can you make it past your Caspers  
So we can finally fly off into NASA  
You was always the cheerleader of my dreams that  
Seem to only date the head of football teams  
And I was the class clown that, always kept you laughin'

We, were never meant to be baby we just happen  
So please, don't mess up the trick, hey young world I'm the new slick rick  
They say I move too quick, but we can't let the moment pass us  
Let the hourglass pass right into ashes

Let the wind blow the ash right before my glasses  
So I wrote this love letter right before my classes  
How could a goddess ask, someone that's only average  
For advice, OMG, you listen to that bitch?  
Whoa, it's me, baby this is tragic  
'Cause we had it, we was magic

I was flyin', now I'm crashin'  
This is bad, real bad, Michael Jackson  
Now I'm mad, real mad, Joe Jackson  
You should leave your boyfriend now, I'mma ask him

Say you gotta put the good with the bad, happy and the sad  
So will u bring a better future than I had in the past  
Oh Cause, I don't wanna make the same mistakes I did  
I don't wanna fall back on my face again  
Whoa, whoa, I'll admit it, I was scared to answer love's call  
Whoa, whoa, and if it hits better make it worth the fall  
(When it comes around)

Sometimes love comes around  
(Love comes around)  
And it knocks you down  
Just get back up  
When it knocks you down  
(Knocks you down)  
Sometimes love comes around  
(Love comes around)  
And it knocks you down  
Just get back up  
When it knocks you down  
(Knocks you down)

Won't see it coming when it happens, hey  
But when it happens you're gonna feel it, let me tell you now  
You see when love knocks you down

Won't see it coming when it happens  
But when it happens you're gonna feel it, let me tell you now  
You see when love knocks you down  
Yeah


	10. Quarantine

"Aiden, we gotta talk to you," Duncan says when he and Courtney walk into the house.

"'Bout what?" he asks. Aiden was sitting at the kitchen table, so Duncan and Courtney pull up a chair to join him.

"Sean," Courtney replies.

"Who's Sean?"

"The leader of the people who have been trying to kidnap Courtney," Duncan answers. "He'll be sending some of his 'friends' here to attack us."

"Well that'll have to wait because _I'm_ going to the grocery store," Aiden retorts. He stands up, slides his wallet, and walks for the front door. Duncan tackles Aiden right before he was about to grab the front door.

"You idiot! Just listen to me! If we even open a door or window in this house, it'll explode!" Duncan shouts in Aiden's face.

"What?!"

"Yeah! It's that Sean guy, the kidnapper! We have to stay in the house for 3 days. Kidnappers will come and go, trying to attack us. If we survive all the attackers, then Sean with disconnect the bombs and we can leave. But then _he'll_ be coming after us. 'Us' namely being Courtney," Duncan explains.

"Not really," Courtney says. Duncan turns to face her. "I heard them talking in the warehouse, when I was first kidnapped. They want you, too, Duncan. They think you… know too much information. They want to kill you." Her voice cracks and Duncan gets off Aiden. Duncan wraps his arms around Courtney in a hug and kisses her forehead.

"We're gonna be fine, Princess," he assures her. Aiden gets off the floor.

"So, dude, what're we gonna do?" Aiden asks.

"Well, first of all, we gotta lay down some rules," Duncan says. "Like, _no_ touching the windows or the front door. We don't want to risk blowing the house up." Courtney nods.

"And how much food is in the house?" she asks.

Aiden scratches the back of his head. "Uh… bread."

"That's it?!"

Aiden holds his hands up in surrender. "People at3 most of our food at the party! Jeez! We have ½ a package of white bread, a box of Captain Crunch cereal, and a huge bowl of green jello in the fridge."

"Green jello?!" Courtney shrieks. Aiden nods slowly, giving Courtney weird looks. Duncan puts his arm around Courtney.

"You don't have to eat the jello, babe," Duncan tells her.

"But what'll we drink?"

"We have beer!" Aiden exclaims. Courtney shoots daggers at him with her eyes. "Okay, okay! No beer, then…"

"We can melt the ice in the freezer," Duncan suggests.

"Or drink toilet water!" Aiden says. Courtney rolls her eyes. Aiden laughs.

"Aiden, I think you should shut up now," Duncan says.

Suddenly, the three of them hear a loud crash from the garage. Courtney screams.

"They're here already?" Aiden asks. Duncan quickly stands up and grabs Courtney's wrist. He pulls her towards the stairs.

"Go up to our room!" Duncan orders. Courtney runs up the stairs and Aiden stands by Duncan. "You too." Aiden runs up the stairs. Duncan's hand twitches towards his pants pocket, which held the gun.

"DUNCAN! Get the hell up here! NOW!" Courtney shouts. Duncan turns on his heel and sprints up the stairs, towards Courtney.

**(Author's Note: Sorry this is such a short chapter, but I'm going camping! I'll be in Florida for the next couple weeks, so I'm probably not hardly going to update. But don't worry, we'll be in the car for about five hours a day -- lol, FUN -- so I'll type up some chapters. Once I get back, expect about ten million chapters, haha.)**


	11. Killing the Kidnappers

Duncan runs into the room and Courtney slams the door shut behind him. She locks it and faces Duncan. "You're _not_ going to be trying to act brave just to protect me, okay?" she demands.

Duncan opens his mouth to say something, but Courtney continues, "Because I don't wanna lose you, alright? It's bad enough that all these people are coming after us, but if you somehow get hurt trying to protect me… That's gonna fucking--"

Duncan silences her with a kiss. Courtney intertwines her fingers with Duncan's pitch-black hair, and he places his hands on the small of her back. Aiden taps Duncan's shoulder and Duncan pulls away from Courtney.

"_What_?"

Aiden points towards the window, which three kidnappers were looking into from outside. Courtney starts trembling. "Everybody! In the bathroom, quick!" Duncan orders. They run into the bathroom and lock the door behind them. Aiden takes the three-foot-in-diameter mirror off the wall and props it under the doorknob, double-locking it.

Duncan wraps Courtney in a hug as they hear the window break from outside the bathroom. She flinches. "Why didn't the bombs go off if they broke the window?" Courtney whispers.

"Probably because they're coming _in_ the house, and not going out," Duncan whisper-replies. Somebody starts banging on the bathroom door.

"We know you're in there!" the man shouts.

Duncan nudges Aiden and he flicks his eyes towards the air vent. Aiden follows Duncan's gaze and nods. Aiden stands on the closed toilet lid and starts unscrewing the screws with his fingers.

"Looks like air vents are our way to escape," Courtney comments. Duncan smirks as he remembers their escape from the warehouse. Finally, Aiden removes the metal grate and he jumps. He hoists himself up, since the vent was high-up on the wall, and slides into the air vent.

"Ready?" Duncan asks. He helps Courtney on the toilet, holding her hand. Then Duncan intertwines his fingers together, forming a foot-hold. Courtney places her foot on Duncan's palms, and he lifts her up towards the air vent. Courtney crawls in, and Duncan soon follows after her.

He screws the bolts back on the metal grate really tight so the kidnappers couldn't easily get in the air vent. Duncan turns around to face Courtney and he motions for her to start crawling. "Where's Aiden?" he whispers.

"He had to go check the vents by the front door. He thought he heard more people come in," she whispers in reply. Duncan nods and they turn a corner. The air vent was cold, probably because Aiden always insists on keeping the house cool.

"What time is it?" Duncan asks. Courtney pulls out her cellphone from her back pocket.

"4:00p.m."

"Kay," Duncan says, leading the way through the tunnels.

"Duncan."

"What?"

"Pull up your pants," Courtney orders. Duncan chuckles and pulls his Volcom jeans over his boxers, which were showing.

"Better, darling?"

"Much."

After a couple more minutes of crawling, Duncan suddenly stops in his tracks. Courtney gasps as she nearly rams her face into Duncan's butt, but she catches herself. She starts blushing.

"Princess! I didn't know you felt that way!" Duncan exclaims with a smirk. Courtney snaps her hand away from Duncan's butt, which was how she had caught herself.

"Shut up!" she hisses, her face growing warmer. "Just be glad I didn't do a face plant onto your ass. Now why did you stop crawling?"

"I just… thought I heard something," he replies. "Maybe we should stop crawling and kindof… find a place to sleep tonight."

"Sure," Courtney says. Her stomach growls loudly, echoing in the vents. She clutches her stomach and her eyes widen. Duncan chuckles.

"Then maybe we could get something to eat," he suggests.

"Yeah… That would be good."

* * *

Courtney and Duncan were sitting a metal corner in the air vent. Courtney was hugging her knees to her chest, and Duncan had an arm around her shoulders. By then, it was getting late; just a couple more hours until midnight. To pass the time, Duncan and Courtney had just sat in each other's arms and listened to the kidnappers below them. They made a lot of noise.

"I think I better go get us something to eat," Duncan whispers.

"But… what about the kidnappers?" Courtney asks, worried.

"They should be sleeping now. And we're starving, Princess. We gotta eat sometime," he says. Courtney grabs Duncan's hand and gives it a squeeze.

"Be careful," she whispers.

"Will do." Duncan crawls away through the air vents, leaving Courtney alone in the corner. She starts shivering without Duncan's warmth next to her.

But then she flinches once she hears shouting from below. _Duncan said they would be asleep!_ Courtney hears some scuffling and more yelling. The loud blasting of gunshots shake the house.

Finally, it gets super quiet again, except for the sounds of Courtney sobbing.

_He said he would be safe!_, she screams in her head. _He said he'd be careful!_

Courtney hears somebody crawling in the air vent. She tries to stop her gasping for breath as she reaches a shaky hand towards Duncan's Swiss Army knife in her pocket. _They saw Duncan get out of the air vent_, she thinks, the voice in her head rising in panic, _Now the kidnappers know where you are. They're coming for you!_

But Courtney sees a neon-green mohawk turn the corner. She gasps in delight and she wraps her arms around him enthusiastically. Duncan loses his balance and they fall on the metal floor of the air vent, with Courtney on top of him. He smirks.

"Was the Princess worried about me?" he taunts. Courtney lifts her face from his shirt and smiles.

"Maybe."

Duncan grins and wipes some tears off Courtney's cheek with his thumb. "Hey, I know something that'll cheer you up," Duncan suggests.

"What?"

He holds up a long white box with a green emblem on the top. "The kidnappers brought Krispy Creme."

Courtney laughs and kisses him.

* * *

**(Author's Note: So cute. Lol. Anyway, Florida is awesome! We left yesterday and drove _all day_. Ugh. But it was worth it! Cuz now we're in Destin, with white sand beaches! Boo ya! I'm already getting freaking tan from just one day at the beach. I love it. I love _summer_. And florida. And the beach. And people who review my stories!! Lol. I'm a suck-up, I know. Anyway, you guys are awesome! The next song is Here In Your Arms by HelloGoodbye. It relates to this chapter -- of course -- but also a little bit of the beginning of the next chapter. Haha. That's a hint! Kindof... Anyway, here's the song!)**

_I like,  
Where we are,  
When we drive,  
In your car.  
I like,  
Where we are,  
Here._

Cause our lips,  
Can touch.  
And our cheeks,  
Can brush.  
Our lips can touch,  
Here.

Where you are the one, the one,  
That lies close to me.  
Whispers, "Hello,  
I've missed you quite terribly."  
I fell in love, in love,  
With you suddenly.  
Now there's no place else,  
I could be, but,  
Here in your arms.

I like,  
Where you sleep,  
When you sleep,  
Next to me.  
I like,  
Where you sleep,  
Here.

Our lips,  
Can touch.  
And our cheeks,  
Can brush.  
Cause our lips can touch,  
Here.

Where you are the one, the one,  
That lies close to me.  
Whispers, "Hello,  
I've missed you quite terribly."  
I fell in love, in love,  
With you suddenly.  
Now there's no place else,  
I could be, but,  
Here in your arms.

Our lips can touch.  
Our lips can touch,  
Here.

You are the one, the one,  
That lies close to me.  
Whispers, "Hello,  
I've missed you quite terribly."  
I fell in love, in love,  
With you suddenly.  
Now there's no place else,  
I could be, but,  
Here in your...

You are the one, the one,  
That lies close to me.  
Whispers, "Hello,  
I've missed you quite, miss you quite..."  
I fell in love, in love,  
With you suddenly.  
Now theres no place else,  
I could be, but,  
Here in your arms.

Here in your arms.  
Oh, here in your... arms.

**(Author's Note: Okay, I know some people -- I'll admit I'm one of them -- that sometimes completely breezes past songs when they're in stories. But this song is SO CUTE and reminds me of Duncan and Courtney so _please, please, please _go back and read the lyrics if you haven't. I mean, '_I fell in love with you sudenly, now there's no place I could be but here in your arms' _? How cute is _that_? Lol, I know: I'm weird sometimes. Review!)**


	12. Captured

Courtney's eyelids flutter open. She and Duncan were laying on their sides on the cool metal floor. Courtney was curled up by Duncan's torso, and one of his arms was draped casually over her waist. His other arm was under Courtney's head, like a pillow, because last night Duncan had insisted she shouldn't have to sleep with her head on the hard floor.

She carefully turns her head to look at Duncan, and she gasps. Courtney slaps a palm over her mouth. Duncan's bright teal eyes, an endless sea of blue-green, stared Courtney in the eyes. His bleach-white smirk shone in the dark.

"I'm sorry… Did I wake you up? I thought you were sleeping," Courtney whispers.

"Yeah, you woke me up."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean--"

"You were sleep-talking," Duncan says.

"What did I say?" Courtney asks, afraid for what she said when she was unconscious.

"My name. Over and over and _over_ and--"

"Okay! I get it!" Courtney snaps, and blushes. Duncan's smirk falters.

"Did you have a nightmare?" he asks softly. Courtney shrugs.

"Kindof…"

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Courtney sighs and sits up. Duncan sits up too and pulls her into his lap. She shakes her head.

"No." Courtney reaches for a doughnut out of the Krispy Creme box and picks it up, but Duncan grabs her wrist.

"Please, Courtney?" he begs her. Courtney sighs and rolls her eyes.

"You were… killed when you got the food yesterday and the kidnappers started coming after me. But it was only a dream, Duncan. I know that now," Courtney mumbles. Duncan reluctantly releases her wrist and she bites into the doughnut.

There is a crash downstairs, and Courtney flinches. Embarrassed, she lays down on the floor of the air vent and turns her head away from Duncan. _I don't usually show my fear like this…Well, lately I have been, but that's only because I'm being _hunted down_. And…I don't want Duncan feeling sorry for me. Even though I think I'm starting to love him all over again, I don't need his pity._

Courtney feels Duncan slide next to her, but she doesn't look at him. She shivers as she feels his fingertips brush her hair off her cheek. Out of the corner of her eye, she sees him open his mouth to say something. But he was interrupted by a loud clang of metal, echoing down the air vents.

Duncan grabs Courtney's wrist and she finally looks at him. His eyes were filled with panic. "Hurry-- they're searching the vents now," he warns her. Courtney immediately sits up and leaves her doughnut on the floor, crawling after Duncan.

They start crawling in the opposite direction that the noise had come from, but soon there is another clang of metal. So, Duncan and Courtney change directions. But within the next couple minutes, several more screeches of metal were heard from all around the teens.

"We're surrounded," Courtney murmurs. Duncan grabs her hand.

"We'll make it out of here alive, I prom--"

But all of a sudden, pain flashes through Duncan's skull, and he falls on the ground. Right before he slips into unconsciousness, though, he hears Courtney scream, and he feels the thud of her limp body falling on top of him. A flood of blackness takes him under.

* * *

Courtney wakes up, tied to a chair. She looks up to see Duncan tied to a chair a few feet away from her. His eyes flick over to a man with crossed arms, standing by the door. Courtney follows Duncan's gaze and watches the man mumble something into his headset.

Moments later, another man walks into the room. He had brown hair, gelled into all the right spots, making it look like a casual-messy even though it obviously took lots of time to style it that way. A black leather jacket was draped over his muscular build, and his hands were in the pockets of his jeans. His ripped-up jeans, that is. Not ripped-up as in he bought them that way, but he's had them for so long that they started to rip around the knees and turn lighter on the thighs. He wore a pure white wife-beater under the jacket, and his shiny black tennis shoes squeaked on the kitchen's linoleum floor. This man _had_ to be Sean.

"Ah, I see you've woken up," he purrs in a voice of pure, deep velvet. He smirks. _Has the male race perfected the art of smirking, or do I just happen to get stuck with guys who are really, really good at it?!_

Sean wanders casually over to Courtney's chair, and walks around it, keeping his eyes on her the whole time. She tries not to meet his gaze.

"Scared, are we?" Sean chides.

"Not at all," Courtney lies. Suddenly, Sean snaps his arm out and slaps Courtney across the face.

"SEAN!" Duncan barks. The room became still and silent. Courtney's head was frozen like it was right after she was slapped, with her right cheek still burning. Sean was standing right in front of her, smirking and watching her facial expressions. Duncan's veins were pumping with adrenaline. His hands were balled up into fists, his jaw was clenched, and he was glaring at Sean.

"You _should_ be scared," Sean finally whispers threateningly. He turns from Courtney and slowly walks up to Duncan. "You'd do anything to protect your 'princess', right, Duncan?"

Duncan nods. "_Anything_," he vows.

Sean nods approvingly and another kidnapper walks into the room. "Would you… kill yourself, maybe?" Sean asks, like he had just come up with the idea.

Without missing a beat, Duncan replies, "To protect her, of course I would." Courtney gasps and her onyx eyes brim with tears. But Duncan and Sean ignore her and keep glaring at each other.

Finally, Sean snaps his fingers and the other kidnapper steps up to Courtney. He draws his arm back and swiftly punches her in the stomach. Courtney gasps at the pain, and she would have doubled over if she wasn't tied to the chair. Instead, she draws her knees in towards her chest to try to subdue the pain. Then, Courtney snaps her leg out and kicks the kidnapper in the place men do _not_ want to be kicked.

This time, it was the man's turn to double over.

Sean deftly walks up to Courtney and slaps her again. "Stop!" Duncan cries out. "Okay, okay, what do you want?! Name it and I'll do it… I'll do _anything_! Just stop hurting her."

"Anything?" Sean asks. Duncan nods. "Hmm…"

"I'll do anything," Duncan confirms.

"What about killing yourself?"

"Well, I can't--"

Sean slaps Courtney.

"STOP!" Duncan shouts. "Just _listen_ to me, you bastard! I can't kill myself when I'm tied up. Untie me, and I'll kill myself. But if I _do_ kill myself, you'll have to let Courtney go, and _never_ hurt her again."

"I _promise_," Sean says enthusiastically, untying the ropes that bound Duncan to his chair.

"Duncan! Don't do it!" Courtney screams, eyes overflowing with tears. But Duncan withdraws his gun from his pocket and looks Courtney in the eyes.

"I love you," Duncan whispers. He slowly lifts the gun and points it at the side of his head.

"DUNCAN! NO!" Courtney shouts.

But he had already pulled the trigger.

A resounding 'boom' echoed through the house and Duncan's body crumpled to the floor, leaving Courtney alone, kicking and screaming and sobbing in the chair.

**(Author's Note: Ooohh, _intense_! Lol.)**


	13. The Secret Passage

"Well, I'll leave you alone, now, with Duncan," Sean says. "Even though bullet wounds to the head are fatal." Sean unties Courtney, backs out of the kitchen, and locks the door behind him.

Courtney, with tears streaming down her cheeks and hiccups escaping her lips, crawls over to Duncan. He was still crumpled up on the floor, and his head was in a pool of dark blood on the linoleum floor. Courtney gently touches his side and rolls him over, so Duncan was laying on his back.

"D-D-Duncan?" she whimpers. No response. Courtney continues crying, laying herself on Duncan's chest and soaking his shirt with her tears.

Courtney turns her head so she is facing Duncan, and she tries to control her crying. She reaches up and gently kisses Duncan's lips for the last time.

But then Duncan's arms slip around Courtney and his lips start moving with hers.

Courtney pulls away and looks at him in bewilderment. "Duncan?"

He smirks. "Hey, Princess." Courtney breathes a shaky sigh of relief. "You're not dead?"

"Well, I'm talking and breathing, aren't I?"

Courtney starts crying again, but this time because she was so happy. Duncan sits up, with her sitting in his lap, and cradles her in his arms. Courtney's arms were around his shoulders and she was crying into his neck. "I love you, Duncan," she mumbles into his shirt.

"I love you, too, Courtney," he replies. He grins as he holds her in his arms for several minutes, but then he continues, "We gotta escape."

"How?" she asks.

Duncan smirks and gently lifts Courtney out of his lap, setting her on the floor. He walks over to the oven and opens the door. Duncan lifts the cooking trays out and sets them on the stove top.

While he was doing this, Courtney asked, "How did you survive… shooting yourself?"

Duncan grins. "I thought you might ask that. Well, I didn't really shoot myself. I had used some bullets on a couple kidnappers yesterday, and so I had a couple empty cartridges. I just shot myself with an empty cartridge, which made the noise of a gunshot, but didn't really shoot a bullet."

"But what about the blood?"

Duncan digs in his pocket and brings out a red plastic bottle of red liquid that resembled the blood on the floor. "You mean this?" Duncan asks. Courtney nods, so he continues, "It's fake blood. Me and my guys in Chicago carry this around all the time."

"Why?"

Duncan scoffs. "For this very reason."

"So… it happens a lot to you?"

"Yeah, pretty much. Rule number one: Always have an empty cartridge in your gun," Duncan jokes. He smirks, but Courtney bites her lip. _Duncan lives like this all the time? He's done this before? Is his bad-boy image not just an…image?_

Duncan crawls into the oven and Courtney bends over to watch him. "Uh, Duncan? What are you doing?"

He smirks and grabs a light bulb at the back of the stove. He twists it like a doorknob and the entire metal wall at the back of the stove swings open, revealing a dark tunnel. Duncan crawls in.

"Whoa," Courtney gasps, crawling in after him. Once Courtney was in the tunnel, Duncan shut the oven door, replaced the metal trays, and shut the door to the secret tunnel.

It suddenly became pitch black. "Uh… Duncan?" Courtney asked nervously.

"Don't worry, Princess," he assures her. He reaches up and flicks a light switch, flooding the place with light. The room was rectangular, like a hallway with a dead-end, and had concrete walls. A single light bulb hung, bare, from the ceiling. Mold grew in the corners, and there was a musty smell in the air.

Courtney squeals and jumps into Duncan's lap. "What?" he asks, even though he liked it.

"There are spiders!" she exclaims, eyes bugging out and arms gripping Duncan's torso. "_Everywhere_."

"Oh. Yeah, I guess there are. I've just gotten used to them and all," Duncan replies. He hugs Courtney closer to himself, however.

"Yeah, we sure 'got used' to it, Duncan."

Duncan turns his head to see Aiden sitting in the corner. Duncan grins. "Aiden, man, I thought you were dead!"

He shrugs. "Well, I'm not. Remember when we used to hide from the cops here?" Aiden asks.

Courtney's eyes bug out. "You hid from the cops here?"

But Duncan chuckles, ignoring her. "Yeah, dude, that was so hilarious."

"_Hilarious_?" Courtney quotes, in shock. But then they all hear a bang from in the kitchen. Duncan flicks the light off, and they sit there in the dark, listening.

"Where the fuck did they go?!" Sean was yelling. "I told you goons to put a video camera in here!"

"Uh… I never got around to it. I thought that Duncan kid was dead so…"

A gun shot goes off, and they hear a 'thud' of a body hitting the floor. Courtney flinches in Duncan's arms and he starts stroking her hair. Aiden taps Duncan's shoulder.

"Let's get outta here," Aiden whispers.

"Agreed."

"But," Courtney asks, "Isn't the house gonna explode if we do?"

"There'll probably be a slight delay," Aiden answers. "I mean, Sean wouldn't want to kill himself just to be sure _we're_ dead."

"Oh."

"Alright, let's go. Lead the way, Aiden," Duncan says. He grabs Courtney's hand to lead her down the tunnel.

But, suddenly, the tunnel floods with light and Courtney's hand is ripped from Duncan's. Courtney screams, and Duncan whips around, immediately pointing his gun to the attacker.

Sean.

Sean's left arm was around Courtney's neck, holding her in a head-lock by his chest. Sean's other arm was pointing a gun… right at Courtney's head. Duncan's eyes widen.

"Put the gun down," Sean orders, "And I'll release Courtney."

Duncan carefully places the gun on the ground and holds his hands in the air to show they were empty. Sean smirks at Duncan and tosses Courtney to the floor.

Sean turns his gun to face Duncan's chest. "Say goodbye, Duncan." Sean smirks and pulls the trigger.

Two gunshots go off.

**(Author's Note: Ooohh, _intense_! Lol, _again_! Idk what it is about me, but I just love leaving cliffies *sighs wistfully* Anyway, review! Btw, just to clear up any confusion, the second bullet shot was from a different person... not both of them were from Sean. Who shot the second bullet? Was anybody hurt or killed? And how will they escape the exploding house?! All will be answered in the next chapter, my friends...)**


	14. Escaping the Exploding House

Duncan and Sean fall to the floor simultaneously. Courtney shakily put down Duncan's gun, which she had picked up to shoot Sean. She ran over to Duncan.

"Duncan?" she asks. "Oh, God, please be okay!"

Duncan was laying on the concrete floor, but he sits up. He removes his hand from his shoulder, revealing the bullet wound. Courtney gasps.

"I'm so sorry, Duncan!"

"For what? You shot and killed Sean," Duncan replies, grinning wryly.

"I… I did?"

Duncan nods and motions to Sean's motionless body. Courtney stares for a second, then puts her face in her hands.

"Ugh… I think I'm gonna be sick," she mumbles. Duncan laughs.

"Great. But first of all, we should get going. The house could explode at any second, since Aiden ran away already," he reminds her. Courtney's eyes widen and she helps Duncan stand up.

Duncan leads her to the back of the tunnel, where a concrete door stood open from when Aiden escaped. They ran down another concrete hallway. Red lights started flashing throughout the house.

"I didn't even know Aiden had those," Duncan murmured. A voice came on over the loudspeakers.

"Self-destructing in ten…," said a robotic female voice.

Courtney squeezed Duncan's hand tighter as they jumped through another open door, into the garage. The garage was filled with sprinting kidnappers, too engrossed with saving their own lives to care about the escaping prisoners.

"Nine… Eight… Seven…"

Courtney and Duncan cross the garage. A kidnapper had pressed the remote control for the garage door, which was slowly going down.

"Six… Five… Four…"

They run faster and squeeze under the garage door right before it closes.

"Three… Two…"

"We're not gonna make it!" Courtney screams as their feet pound the pavement on the driveway. Duncan could see Aiden frantically waving his arms from across the cul-de-sac.

"_One_…"

Duncan tackles Courtney and they fall in the soft green grass in the front lawn. Duncan quickly rolls on top of Courtney and covers her body with his.

Barely a second later, the house explodes merely 9 feet away from them.

There was a huge 'boom', so loud that it completely covered up Courtney's screaming, even though Duncan could see her mouth open and her eyes squeezed shut. Flames burst from the house, into the sky, taller than any of the streetlights that lined the streets. A heat wave rushed across the front lawn, heating up Duncan's skin.

Dark rolls of smoke billowed up into the air, and hung thick in the surrounding air. Whenever Duncan breathed, hot ashes burned his lungs. Suddenly, a green Jeep from the backyard caught on fire, exploded, and catapulted into the air as a burning mass of flaming metal. _Probably belonged to the kidnappers_.

Burning litter began to fall from the sky. Hot ashes drifted down like snow, raining onto Duncan's bare skin and searing small holes through his shirt. He stands up and helps Courtney stand. "Quick, we gotta get outta here," he says.

They sprint across the front lawn, dodging burning house material. Duncan and Courtney cross the street and stand next to Aiden as the Jeep falls from the sky and crashes into the driveway, flattening into a pancake. A burning toilet collides with the wooden mail box, shattering it. Pillows burst mid-air, sending burning feathers floating to the ground, almost like fireworks. The garage door falls down on top of a neighbor's tree, the fire burning up the leaves. Meanwhile, tons of scraps of burning wood, drywall, carpet, and everything else that was in the house fell into the front lawn in a burning mess. And of course, a couple burnt human bodies flopped to the ground.

Once everything had stopped exploding, Duncan looks around and bursts out laughing.

"_What_ is so funny?" Courtney demands.

Duncan, laughing too hard to speak, points to the neighbors' houses. Families stood on their front porches, gawking at the sight. An old lady's head was lolled-back, after fainting in her wheelchair.

And, the funniest sight of all, a little boy was sitting on his red tricycle in the middle of the cul-de-sac. He was staring, wide-eyed and open-mouthed, at the burning sight. Suddenly, he threw his hands up and screamed, "THAT… WAS… _AWESOME_!"

**(Author's Note: The little boy is exactly like the one from the movie, ****The Incredibles**** when Mr. Incredible picks his car up and the kid on the trike is staring at him in the driveway. Lol.)**

Courtney starts chuckling, and Duncan looks at Aiden, who had started to laugh too. Soon, all three of them were laughing their heads off and rolling on the ground with tears in their eyes, oblivious to the ambulance and fire truck that had driven up.

But then somebody taps Courtney on the shoulder. She sits up, wipes the tears from her eyes, and looks at the paramedic in all-white clothes. "Yes?" she asks.

"Are you hurt?" he asks. Courtney shakes her head.

"Not really. But you need to look at Duncan's shoulder," Courtney points to Duncan who was just now wiping tears from his eyes.

The paramedic went over to Duncan and asked him to take his shirt off. Wincing, Duncan lifts his two shirts over his head and holds his arm out. The paramedic calls another medic over, and they look at Duncan's wound, mumbling to each other.

Finally, the first paramedic says, "Please come into the ambulance, uh, _Duncan_. We need to bring you into surgery. Meanwhile, the girl needs to stay here and answer some questions."

Duncan opens his mouth to protest, but Courtney grabs his hand and beats him to the punch, "I am _not_ leaving Duncan's side." Duncan squeezes her hand and grins at her.

The paramedics shrug. "Whatever. Just please get into the ambulance."

* * *

Courtney was reading _CosmoGirl_ magazine while Duncan was in surgery. Sure, she couldn't concentrate on the article she was reading, but it wasn't like she could just stare into space. Well, actually, she had already tried that; it just made her concentrate on the pain in her stomach.

No, not an I-miss-Duncan pain (even though she _was_ felling that), but it was more like… a sharp pain.

Somebody taps her on the shoulder, and Courtney looks up to see a doctor standing in front of her. "Courtney Summers?"

"Yes?"

"From my desk I have noticed you wincing a lot within the past hour…"

* * *

Duncan was laying in a white hospital bed. His shoulder was sore from the surgery, but it felt a lot better than before. The doctors had wrapped gauze around his left shoulder (to cover the bullet wound) and around his torso (to cover his burn wounds). Duncan grinned. He would've done this every day just to keep Princess safe.

Suddenly, there is a knock on the hospital door. Duncan sits up straighter in the bed as the door opens. Princess.

She smiles and sits down in one of the chairs next to the hospital bed. Duncan frowns. She seemed so far away… So he scooted over and patted part of the mattress next to him. Courtney and Duncan both grinned as she climbed into the bed, next to him, avoiding the many IV wires scattered around.

Courtney curls up by Duncan's side and asks, "Are you okay?"

Duncan just chuckles and lifts Courtney's chin up so she was looking him in the eye. "I'm _more_ than okay." He kisses her softly on the lips. A minute later, Duncan wraps his arms around Courtney's waist, deepening the kiss.

Duncan pulls away. "Courtney… Not to sound perverted or anything, but what's under your shirt?" he asks. He had felt ridges under her shirt when he was feeling her waist… and he was _pretty sure_ those weren't her ribs.

Courtney bites her bottom lip, leans back, and lifts her shirt just enough to show her midriff, which was wrapped in bandages.

"What happened?" Duncan asks, feeling anger rise up in his chest just thinking of Sean hurting her.

"It was nothing. Just a broken rib--"

"_Just_ a broken rib?"

"_Yes_, Duncan," Courtney replies, exasperated. "I couldn't even feel it when he punched me. Well, it hurt _then_, but I hadn't really felt it until the waiting room since I was so worried about _you_ being shot in Aiden's house."

Duncan was silent. Finally he asks, "Are you okay?"

Courtney grins. "I'm _more_ than okay." She reaches up and kisses him.


	15. Moving

**(Author's Note: I am FAR from done with this story! Lol. Just so you guys know, once I finish, I'll put 'The End'. And when I'm getting close to ending, I'll tell you guys that, too. Thanks for reviewing!)**

Duncan and Courtney drove up to Courtney's house on Duncan's motorcycle. They were both still wearing their bandages after a few days at the hospital, and were recovering "right on schedule". Or, at least, that was what the doctors were saying.

Courtney walks into the front door. It was a Saturday, so her parents should be home. "Mom? Dad?" she calls.

She and Duncan hear frantic footsteps running down the stairs. "Courtney!" her mother exclaims, enveloping her daughter in a bone-crushing hug… Literally.

"Mom!" Courtney gasps, pulling away and rubbing her stomach. Courtney lifts her shirt and shows her mother the bandages. Now it was Courtney's mom's turn to gasp.

"Courtney! What happened?"

"I kinda broke a rib. Here, lemme explain this whole thing to you."

A little over half an hour later, Courtney and her mom were sitting on the couch and Duncan was sitting in the Lay-Z-Boy. He wasn't reclining; he was sitting on the edge of the chair and he had his elbows propped on his knees, watching Courtney. Her dad was apparently called in work just before the teens got to Courtney's house.

Courtney's mom was clenching her hands together in her lap. "So Duncan…""Basically saved my life," Courtney finishes for her. "More than once, too." Courtney and her mom turn their heads to look at Duncan across the room.

He smiles shyly.

"Oh, and Mom?" Courtney asks.

"Yes?"

"Uh, Duncan and I talked about this at the hospital, but… I'm moving to Chicago."

"What?" her mother asks, confused.

Courtney signals Duncan to come over, so he crosses the room and sits on the arm of the couch, right behind Courtney. "Mrs. Summers, I love Courtney. And knowing that we can't handle a long-distance relationship, we decided to have her move in with me in Chicago," Duncan says.

"…What?" her mother asks, bewildered.

"Mom," Courtney sighs, taking her mother's hands in hers. "The school year is basically over. It's _June_, already. And knowing I'd have to take summer school to catch up on all I've missed, I know I can just do summer school in Chicago. Duncan would have to go back to school, too, since he basically skipped the last month." Duncan grins and Courtney continues, "And it's _Chicago_! It's much closer to any of the Ivy League colleges on the east coast than we are in Las Angeles. Duncan has a motorcycle, and we agreed we'd look for colleges while I was living up there. I would get a job to split the rent for Duncan's apartment. It'll all work out!"

Courtney's mother purses her lips.

"Mrs. Summers, you _know_ I'd take perfect care of Courtney. My parents live in the same town, and they're in the police force. My dad is the Chief of Police," Duncan insists.

"Al_right_…," her mother says warily. "I just don't know what Jack will say."

**(Author's Note: Jack is Courtney's dad's name -- at least in **_**my**_** story -- in case you haven't figured that out yet.)**

* * *

"No."

"Daddy!" Courtney whines. "I'll be safe, I'll get a job, I'll have my VW Beetle, I'll be finishing school while looking at colleges, I'll have an apartment, and I'll be with Duncan. _What _isn't fine with our idea?"

"The Duncan part," Mr. Summers says firmly, flipping through the newspaper at the kitchen table. Courtney turns her head to be sure Duncan, who was back in the Lay-Z-Boy, hadn't heard her dad.

"But _Dad_, were you paying _any_ attention to what I told you?"

"Yes, yes. Duncan saved your life, and _'More than once, too!'_"

"Don't be so sarcastic, Daddy. He did! _Why_ won't you let me move to Chicago? I'd be moving out soon, anyway, to go to college."

Jack sighs. "I already told you the problem with your little plan, Courtney! I don't like the idea of you living in the same apartment with him," he insists.

"But he--"

"All he wants is to get in your pants," her dad interrupts. Courtney grimaces, hearing her dad try to talk cool.

"You don't get it! He--"

"Isn't trustworthy," Mr. Summers finishes for her. "Do you see those piercings? And that mohawk?"

"Dad, _you're_ not the trusting one! Duncan's actually nice and caring underneath. He flew over to L.A. just to save me. He got kidnapped just to help me escape from the warehouse. He slept next to me in the cold air vent. He shot himself in the head for me. He took a bullet in the shoulder for me. He covered me with his _body_ when the house exploded. _Why_ won't you let me move in with him?" Courtney demands.

"Because he's a DELINQUENT!" Mr. Summers shouts.

"He's my BOYFRIEND!" Courtney yells back.

Before she knew it, Duncan was in the kitchen and had his arms wrapped around her waist. "Gimme a sec," Duncan whispers in her ear.

Then he pulls away from her and faces Jack. "Mr. Summers," Duncan says firmly, "Could I talk to you --," his eyes flick over to Courtney, "-- alone?"

Courtney's dad glares at Duncan for a few seconds before he says, "Fine. We'll talk in my office." Mr. Summers brushes past Duncan as he leads him to the office.

Duncan turns his head to Courtney, winks, and does a small salute before Jack shuts the office door.

An hour later, the office door opens. Courtney stares at the door, biting her lip. But nobody was coming out.

Suddenly, Duncan sprints out of the room and scoops her up in his arms. He was beaming.

"We're going to Chicago, babe!" he exclaims.


	16. Pictures

Duncan was sitting on Courtney's bed as she packed her things. She didn't have much to pack, though, because most of her necessities had exploded along with Aiden's house. Courtney's mom had given her $1,000 for new clothes, gas, and anything else she would need. If Courtney needed more money, she would have to take it out of her own bank account. And, of course, Courtney would be getting a job in Chicago.

"So how did you manage to convince Dad to let me move to Chicago?" Courtney asks as she tucks several dresses into her suitcase.

"I just have exemplatory persuasion skills, Princess," Duncan boasts.

"And _I_ didn't even think you knew what 'exemplatory' meant," Courtney says, smirking.

Duncan grins. "Don't underestimate me, darling." He falls back on the bed, propping his head up on a pile of Courtney's underwear.

"Duncan!" she exclaims, shoving him off the pile. She scoops up the lingerie and stuffs it in the suitcase. Courtney turns to Duncan with her hands on her hips. "No, but seriously. How'd you convince my dad to let me move?"

Duncan smirks and zips an imaginary zipper across his lips. "My lips are sealed," he announces.

Courtney grins evilly and climbs into Duncan's lap. "Oh, really?" she challenges. She leans in and gently kisses Duncan's lips, parting her own lips ever so slightly. When Duncan tries to stick his tongue in her mouth, she pulls away.

"Uh, uh, uh! Your lips are sealed," she teases. Duncan groans.

"Come _on_, Courtney. Don't be like that," he whines.

"Just tell me how you convinced my dad," she replies simply. Courtney reaches up and kisses him again. Duncan's lips tremble as he tries to not kiss her back.

He pulls away. "Fine!" Duncan exclaims. "Jeez. I just told him about my parents and the schools and… stuff."

"What kind of stuff?"

"I kinda told him… how much you mean to me," Duncan mumbles.

"Aww!" Courtney gushes, kissing Duncan.

* * *

"Courtney!" Jack snaps. Courtney and Duncan were making out on her bed.

She jumps off Duncan, blushes, and starts tugging on her bangs. Duncan smirks at her. "Oh. Hey, Daddy."

"A kid named Aiden called. He said some of the police officers at his house found some of your possessions. He wants you to stop by right away," Jack announces.

"Alright. I'm finished packing anyway."

"I could see that," her dad says grimly.

* * *

"So what did the cops find?" Duncan asks Aiden as they walk up his driveway. Courtney was following closely behind them.

"Just some stuff," Aiden replies, shrugging. His driveway was still littered with ash and unrecognizable debris. But there were a few wooden tables which the police had set up, covered with items that had survived the flames. "So, pick out stuff you recognize. But then you have to get outta here since the Po-Po are still finding bodies and they don't want us messing anything up." Aiden scoffs and crosses his arms.

"The Po-Po?" Courtney asks, confused.

"The _po_lice," Duncan explains. "Anyway, let's just get this over with. Our plane leaves in an hour and a half."

Duncan and Courtney turn to the tables, slowly walking up and down the aisles, checking out the items perched on the wood. They soon found out that most of the things belonged to the kidnappers. But then Courtney lifts up a piece of paper burnt around the edges and shows it to Duncan.

"Is this yours?" she asks with a grin on her face. Duncan looks at it and tries to grab at it with a panicked look on his face.

"Yeah… _so_?" he demands. Duncan snatches it from Courtney's hand and he shoves the picture in his pocket.

"Wait! I wanted to get a better look at it!" she says, grabbing Duncan's wrist.

He grimaces. "I don't really… want to."

"Please?"

"Eh…"

"_Pleeease_?" Courtney begs. She sticks out her bottom lip and widens her eyes.

Duncan groans. "Aww, man. Don't do that, Courtney, you know I hate it," he protests. Courtney forces her bottom lip to tremble and her eyes get watery. Duncan groans again. "Fine! But it won't work next time," he warns her.

Instantly, Courtney's face lights up with a smile and the tears disappear. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. You always say that," she teases as he places the photo in her open hand. Duncan's face was turning red as she lifted the picture to her eyes to study it.

It was a picture of them from Total Drama Island.

Courtney and Duncan were in mid-air, after jumping off the Dock of Shame. They were both in their swim suits, and there were big smiles on their faces from laughing. They both were holding hands, and their hands were thrown into the air. Courtney's hair was flowing in the air. And in the background, you could see their friends sitting on the dock: Gwen, Trent, LeShawna, Geoff, and Bridgette.

"You've saved this for a whole year?" Courtney asks.

"Well, yeah," Duncan answers, scratching the back of his head.

"That's so sweet!" she exclaims. Duncan grins, wraps his arm around Courtney's waist, and takes the picture back.

"But what about this one? Is this yours too?" Courtney asks, lifting another picture off the table and handing it to Duncan.

It was another picture from Total Drama Island. But this time, they were in the mess hall. Gwen, Trent, LeShawna, Geoff, Bridgette, Duncan, and Courtney were all sitting at a wooden table. Courtney was sitting in Duncan's lap, and her arms were wrapped around Duncan's neck. Duncan had his arms around Courtney's waist, and he was looking at her, who had her cheek pressed to his. Everybody in the room was beaming.

"No, this _couldn't_ be mine. Why would I write that?" Duncan asks. He points to the area above his head that said 'asshole', with an arrow pointing to Duncan's head.

"So this picture…?"

"Probably belonged to the kidnappers," Duncan confirms.

"Why would they want it, though?"

Duncan shrugs. "I don't know. But we should get going. Our plane leaves in an hour."


	17. Nightmares

Courtney was laughing so hard, tears were streaming down her cheeks. She was bent in half, and her body was shaking with laughter. Duncan's palm was full of his silver metal piercings. They were standing in a secluded corner of the airport. "You know, it wasn't that funny," Duncan defends himself.

"Yes… it… was!" Courtney exclaims through her giggles.

"Hey, it wasn't _my_ fault the security guard made me take off all my piercings before walking through the metal detector." Duncan reattaches his eyebrow ring.

"You should have seen your face when he waved the metal-detector wand over your face! You looked like you were about to kill him!" she reminds him. Another wave of laughter comes.

"Yeah, well, he was being an ass," Duncan says, grinning. After all, how often does Courtney laugh this hard? _I better milk this for all it's worth_, he thinks, _Besides, she's extremely hot when she's laughing this hard. But, she's still hotter when she's mad…_

"And _my_ face? You should have seen _his_ face! He looked like he was about to pee his pants the way I was glaring at him!" Duncan exclaims, placing the last piercing back on his face. He grins as Courtney grabs her aching sides while she laughs.

"Yeah…," she gasps for air, "There _were_ sweat stains under his arms, but I just thought that was from his heavy uniform. He must've just been nervous!"

This time, it was Duncan's turn to laugh. In a few minutes, after more jokes about the security guard, they were leaning on each other and laughing so hard that tourists across the room started staring.

* * *

"Courtney, wake up," Duncan says, nudging her. Courtney lifts her head from his shoulder and offers a small yawn.

"Are we in Chicago yet?" she asks, rubbing her eyes.

"Yep. We're the last one's on the plane, too."

"What?!" Courtney exclaims. She bolts up in the seat to see the last people wandering off the plane. At the back of the hallway, stewardesses were huddled around a refreshment cart and glaring at the teens.

Courtney stands up and drags Duncan off the plane, into the airport. They grab their luggage from the rotating device and walk outside. Sitting next to the curb was Duncan's motorcycle and Courtney's green convertible Volkswagen Beetle, fresh off the jumbo jet designed for carrying "larger luggage" like this.

**(Author's Note: Sorry they left the airport so fast, but I know absolutely nothing about airports since I've never rode in an airplane before. Sad, right?)**

Duncan pops open the trunk of Courtney's car and tosses her luggage inside. "Follow me and I'll bring ya to my apartment, okay?" Duncan offers, climbing onto his motorcycle and carefully sliding his helmet over his mohawk. **(Author's Note: I don't know how this is possible, lol…)**

"Sure." Courtney slides into the leather seat of her VW Beetle **(Author's Note: I sooo want this car once I can drive!)** and starts the engine. She lowers the convertible top and slides on a pair of sunglasses. Duncan roars past her, and Courtney carefully drives after him.

They drive through the crowded parking lot, down a couple streets, then onto the highway. Courtney stops humming to Taylor Swift, which was playing on the radio, and starts blushing. The wind from the highway was ruffling Duncan's shirts, lifting them so that his boxers were visible. _Pull up your pants, Duncan!_, Courtney chides him in her mind.

They exit the highway and drive down a couple streets, stopping at a few red lights along the way. Every time they stopped at a red light, Duncan would turn his head to be sure Courtney was still behind him. After driving down a couple side streets, they reach the apartment building.

Courtney climbs out of her car and places her sunglasses on the top of her head. "Oh my gosh, Duncan, it's so cute!" she gushes.

Duncan winces. "It's not _cute_."

"Yes it is!" Courtney insists. "Just _look_ at it!"

"God, you sound just like Katie and Sadie…," Duncan mutters.

Sprinklers were spraying mist over the lush green lawn. A couple elderly gardeners were shaping the leafy, green shrubs that hugged the edges of the building with large clippers. A shiny, wrought-iron fence lined the property and a red brick sidewalk led up to the tall mahogany front doors. The gold doorknobs and doorknockers glittered in the bright sunlight that flooded the whole area. The building had beige stucco walls that went straight up, all five stories. Bright, orange-red terra-cotta tiles covered the sloped shingles. Window boxes overflowing with flowers hung from the windowsills. In all, the apartment building was huge. It looped around in a large oval, almost football field sized.

"Let's just go in," Duncan suggests. He grabs Courtney's luggage out of the trunk and leads her up the sidewalk. They walk into the lobby, and Courtney gasps.

"Wow, Duncan, I didn't know you lived in such a nice place!" she exclaims.

"Yeah, well…," Duncan says, scratching the back of his head.

A big chandelier hung from the tall ceiling, sparkling in the fluorescent light. The front desk was a shiny gold color and a man in a tuxedo stood behind it. Plush rugs with tassels were laid about the shiny granite floor. The center of the room was like a waiting room, with overstuffed couches, coffee tables, newspapers, and shining lamps.

Duncan nods at the clerk behind the check-in counter and heads up the elevator to the second floor. He opens the door with his key and holds the door open for Courtney. He walks into the apartment behind her and turns on the light.

"Wow," Courtney breathes. The kitchen had white tile floors, and a small island in the center. There was a chrome refrigerator in the corner, and dark wooden cabinets all the way around the room. A shiny microwave hung over the stovetop, and a silver breadbox sat on the counter next to the oven. A counter with barstools pressed up to it marked the entrance into the living room.

Like the waiting room in the lobby, there were overstuffed couches pressed against the walls. A gas fireplace stood against the wall, dormant for the summer. A coffee table sat in the middle of the room, imbedded in the plush carpet. A shiny plasma screen TV hung from the wall.

Duncan led Courtney through two French doors onto the back porch of the apartment. "No _way_," Courtney says excitedly. Right below them was a bustling outlet mall. "This is _awesome_!"

"I thought you might like it," Duncan says calmly, leaning against the railing.

"_Like_ it? I _love_ it! This is amazing!" Courtney exclaims. The oval apartment building they were in wrapped around the outlet mall. Stores littered the street below, and thumping music floated up to the balconies above. A trolley slowly rolled down the red-brick road, picking up passengers along the way.

They watch shoppers pass by below for a few minutes before Duncan asks, "Do you want to see the rest of the house?"

* * *

Courtney screams, backing up until she hits Duncan's chest. She slaps a hand over her mouth to stop screaming.

"What _is_ that?!" she shouts, pointing a shaky finger to the wall.

Duncan slides past Courtney to sit on his bed. She, meanwhile, was still frozen in the doorway. "A poster." Duncan shrugs.

Courtney scoffs and puts her hands on her hips, not moving her eyes from the poster on the wall. "From _what_? Monster Movie Night?" she asks sarcastically.

"Actually, yes," Duncan answers. He reclines on his black pillow. Duncan lays down on his bed sheets, which had the skull emblem from his shirt printed on them.

Courtney stares at the poster a bit longer, and then she shakes her head. "Whatever." She slowly turns in a circle, examining his room.

The walls were painted a dark gray, and the carpet was a pitch black. Tons of posters advertising horror movies coated the walls, leaving just strips of wall paint visible. A bare light bulb hung from the ceiling. A few more horror movie posters were plastered on the ceiling. Duncan's black desk sat in the corner, abandoned. His school books were scattered around on the desk, and a layer of dust coated them, showing that they haven't been used since the beginning of the school year when he got them. An electric guitar (black, of course) sat on a stand amid stacks of amps and speakers. Piles of CD's were stacked at the base of Duncan's bed. Across the room was a black dresser, with empty cans of hairspray littered on top of it. Shelves perched on the walls amid the posters, and on the shelves were Duncan's precious carved skulls.

Courtney had brought the skull Duncan had given her during Total Drama Island in her suitcase.

"Your room is very…"

"Dark? Depressing? Ugly? Scary? Or _repulsive_?" Duncan guesses with his hands propped behind his head.

"Actually, I was going to say 'typical'," Courtney finishes.

"Huh?" Duncan asks. He sits up.

"Your room is very typical for a 'punk' kid like you."

"But you _like_ punk, right?"

Courtney goes over and grabs Duncan's hand. "I like _you_."

They grin at each other for a minute before Courtney pulls away and says, "Anyway, I should change into my pajamas." Duncan looks out his window, where stars were already starting to come out. He turns back to Courtney.

"I could help you," Duncan offers. Courtney glares at him from the doorway and points a finger at him.

"Don't push it," she warns, walking down the hallway.

Duncan sighs and falls back on his bed. _I love that woman_.

* * *

Courtney meets Duncan in the kitchen. She sits next to him on a bar stool. "Hey, Princess," he greets her.

"Where am I sleeping?"

Duncan chuckles at her up-front-ness. "You could sleep on the couch…," Courtney curls her top lip, "…Or in my room," Duncan says.

"I'm _not_ sleeping on the couch."

Duncan shrugs. "Then I will. It's surprisingly comfortable," he says. Courtney squints at him.

"You're not going to be playing any of your mind games on me, Duncan," she tells him.

"What mind game?" Duncan asks innocently.

Courtney stands up and crosses her arms. "You know what I mean," she accuses. She walks down the hallway.

"Sweet dreams, Princess," Duncan calls after her. He smirks as Courtney turns around and looks at him suspiciously. But Duncan saw her small smile before she walked into his bedroom.

He gets up and walks into the bathroom. **(Author's Note: I'm skipping what he does in the bathroom, lol.)** When he walks out, he's in his red plaid boxers and his tight, white wife-beater. He walks down the hallway and looks into his room. He bursts out laughing.

Courtney was sitting in his bed in her hot pink spaghetti-strap shirt and white Soffe shorts. "I look out of place, don't I?" she asks with a grin on her face, referring to her pink shirt in the all-black room.

Duncan nods and gives her a small salute before setting up the couch for him to go to sleep on.

* * *

Courtney bolts to a sitting position in Duncan's bed for the third time that night. She was covered in a cold sweat, and panting hard. She placed one of her sweaty palms on her forehead as she caught her breath.

She wasn't going to lie: Duncan's room _creeped her out_. But she couldn't tell _him_ that. He'd tease her about it forever.

Courtney plopped her head back down on Duncan's pillow. His room _did_ smell good, though. It was a mix of Axe cologne (scent: Kilo), wood shavings, and… Duncan. He had a peculiar scent that was always on him that Courtney just couldn't place.

A dog barks outside and Courtney's head whipped towards the window. _Courtney! Calm down! Duncan's room _is_ scary, but come on! That was just a dog_, she tells herself. But soon she starts staring at the poster by the window.

It was a poster for the old movie, The Ring. The girl's head was down, and she seemed to be glaring right at Courtney. The girl's tangled black hair framed the pale, dead skin on her face. Her mouth was twisted in a frown/scowl. Behind her was the old well that her mother had tossed her into, killing her either from drowning or starvation, who knows. But after Courtney surveyed the poster, she couldn't tear her eyes away from the girl's gaze.

The girl's eyes were black, not just dark brown. Black. The whites of her eyes were bloodshot. It actually seemed like the girl hated Courtney, and wanted to kill her.

Courtney laid, trembling, in Duncan's bed for several minutes, just staring back at the girl in the poster.

Finally, Courtney broke the trance she was in as she frantically tossed the covers off herself. She jumped out of bed and ran out of Duncan's room on her tiptoes, avoiding eye contact with the girl. Courtney quietly slid under the covers of the fold-out couch next to Duncan. She placed a hand over her racing heart as she tried to fall asleep.

Little did Courtney know that Duncan was watching her.


	18. Dance Party in the Bathroom

Courtney grabbed her suitcase from underneath Duncan's bed and dashed for the door before the girl could pull Courtney into her terrifying trance again. Suddenly, Duncan appears in the hallway and she has to dig her heel sin the carpet so she wouldn't crash into him.

"Whoa, slow down, Princess!" Duncan exclaims. He props his forearm on the doorsill. "What's the rush?"

"N-Nothing, you ogre. Get outta my way," she says crankily.

"Yesh, darling, I was just coming to tell you I made waffles," Duncan says.

"Oh. I'm sorry. I just… didn't get a lot of sleep last night," Courtney apologizes.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Courtney moves to try to get around him, but he moves to block her path.

"I think there's something bugging you. What is it?" Duncan asks.

"Nothing!" Courtney exclaims. She tries to get past him again, but this time he scoops her up and tosses her over his shoulder. "DUNCAN! PUT ME DOWN! I SAID I'M FINE!" she screams.

"Not until you tell me what's wrong," he teases.

Instead of answering, Courtney just takes her suitcase and starts whacking Duncan's butt with it. He laughs and reluctantly sets her back on the ground. He kinda liked Courtney smacking his butt…

"You know you can tell me anything," Duncan says honestly.

"I know…," Courtney says. Her eyes travel down to the ground.

"I saw you run into the living room last night," Duncan says. Courtney's eyes snap up to Duncan's face, her eyes wide.

"You… did?"

Duncan nods. "It's okay if you had a nightmare or something. My room is pretty creepy. Well, to _you_ it might be creepy. I'm used to it now," Duncan says.

"I did _not_ have a nightmare!" Courtney protests. Her cheeks start to grow pink.

"Uh huh… _sure_…," he says sarcastically. By now, Courtney was seething. Her face was red, and her hands were clenched together. Suddenly, she completely relaxes. An evil grin spread across her face. She knew _exactly_ how to get Duncan to cave.

Courtney gently places her suitcase on the floor, and looks up at Duncan. Her evil grin was gone, replaced by an innocent smile. "Duncan…," Courtney purrs.

His eyes widen. _Uh-oh_.

Courtney's lips crash into Duncan's and she grips his shirt collar, pulling him closer. He wraps his arms around her waist and pulls Courtney's hips close to his. Duncan pulls them into the hallway and leans back until he was resting his back against the hallway wall.

Suddenly, Courtney pulls away and Duncan moans. "Come on, Court…"

She just smiles, grabs her suitcase, and walks past Duncan, thanks to the wide berth he had provided from backing into that wall. Courtney walks into the bathroom to change her clothes, locking the door behind her.

* * *

Right as she was in her bra and boy-shorts underwear, the door flew open. Courtney screams, and her makeup bag, which she was holding in her hands, flies into the air. Duncan stands in the doorway, chuckling.

"DUNCAN!" Courtney screams at him. She scowls at him for a second before bending down to pick up her makeup brushes and stuff. _I mean, this is Duncan's house. Just _imagine_ how dirty the floor is! I'm going to have to disinfect all my makeup containers_, Courtney thinks.

Duncan smirks, because he could see Courtney's breasts _real_ well from her position on the floor, even though she was wearing her bra. "I just need to brush my teeth, anyways," Duncan says. He reaches over Courtney to grab his toothbrush.

As he starts brushing his teeth, he clicks a remote control laying on the corner. It turns on the radio. Meanwhile, Courtney stands up with her makeup in hand and glares at Duncan's reflection in the mirror. He smirks back at her.

"Get out!" Courtney shrieks, trying to shove Duncan out of the bathroom. She sees Duncan looking down at her, and she starts blushing profusely.

Courtney grabs a white tank top and slips it over her head, trying to cover her chest.

"Aw, I was enjoying the view," Duncan whines, his mouth full of toothpaste. Courtney crosses her arms over her chest.

"Shut. Up. And get out!" she yells, trying to shove him out again.

"Unless you want me to spit on you, you better let me stay in here," Duncan threatens. He opens his mouth to reveal all the toothpaste foam. Courtney yelps and hops away from him. She sits on the toilet seat cover and sulks, watching Duncan.

Suddenly, Right Where You Want Me by Jesse McCartney turns on the radio. Duncan starts dancing like a gay guy in a boy band. Courtney clenches her jaw to keep from smiling.

He spits in the sink, rinses his toothbrush, and takes a sip of mouthwash. Duncan swishes the mouthwash in his cheeks while he shakes his boxers-covered-butt in time to the music.

He spit's the mouthwash into the sink and starts singing like Jesse McCartney. "_Girl, there's something 'bout me that you oughta know. I've never felt that need to loose control. Always held on back and played it slow. But not this time_!" Duncan sings. Then he raises his voice for the high part of the song, "_Baby don't be gentle, I can handle a little pain_." But Duncan's voice was too deep to go boy-band-high. Courtney bursts out laughing on the toilet, and Duncan grins but keeps singing.

"_Baby,__take me on a journey! I've been thinking lately, I could use a little time alone with you. Crazy! Lets do something, maybe. Please don't take your time! You got me right. Where. You want me_!" he continues. "_Right where you want me!_"

He raises his voice again to sing, "_Ooh, whoa, whoa_!" and his voice cracks. Courtney starts laughing again, but she stands up and starts dancing with Duncan in front of the mirror.

In unison, they sing the next part: "_Girl, I'm gonna let you have your way with me. When you move like that its hard to breathe._" Duncan winks at her."_I never thought it could be like this, but I was wrong._" Courtney lets Duncan sing the high part again, "_Baby don't be gentle! I can handle a little pain_."

But then she joins him again for the chorus, "_Baby,__take me on a journey! I've been thinking lately, I could use a little time alone with you. Crazy! Lets do something, maybe. Please don't take your time! You got me. Right. Where. You want me!_"

Courtney laughs as Duncan bumps into her hip with his, but they keep singing, "_Can't explain it, how you swept me off my feet. Unexpectedly! Instant motion, my imagination is running, tryin to keep my body still. Ohhh! I can hardly stand the thrill! Yeahh!_"

As Duncan sings the high part again, "_Well, baby, don't be gentle! I could handle a little pain_," he backs Courtney into the corner of the bathroom.

He places his hands on her waist and pulls her towards him. Duncan kisses her, with the last chorus of the song still playing in the background. Courtney wraps her arms around Duncan's neck, deepening the kiss. Their hearts beat against each other's chests, stimulated from the dancing. Duncan's hand slips under Courtney's thin tank top and onto her bare back. Their tongues explored each other's mouths, and Duncan's tongue piercing was ice cold against Courtney's soft tongue.

But Courtney couldn't help but notice Duncan's minty-fresh breath.

… And how she was still in her underwear.


	19. Whatcha Gonna Do When They Come For You?

"I got a job!" Courtney exclaims, barging into the apartment.

"Seriously?" Duncan asks, though it was no surprise Courtney got a job on her first day of looking. _I mean, who wouldn't want her?_

"Yep!" she says ecstatically. Courtney runs up to Duncan and throws her arms around his neck, hugging him. "Guess where!"

"Uh… Victoria's Secret?" Duncan guesses with a smirk.

Courtney steps away from Duncan and smacks his arm. But she kept smiling, since she was so excited. "Starbucks!"

"That's great, Princess. When do you start?" he asks.

"Tonight, from four until eight, when the outlet mall closes. But I may have to stay later than that to close up or whatever," she replies.

"That's when _I_ get off work! I could walk you home," Duncan offers.

"Duncan, I think I'll be perfectly fine."

"Fine. Well, I'm off to work. See ya later," he says, kissing her cheek. Soon he was out the door.

* * *

"Hello, and welcome to Starbucks!" Courtney tells her next customer.

"Hi. I'll have a tall Berry Chai Infusion," a teenage girl orders, sneaking peeks at the cellphone she was texting on.

"Alright, that'll be $3.85," Courtney says. The girl hands the money over and walks over to the line to pick up her order. Courtney places the money in the cash register as the next person in line steps up.

"Hey, sexy," they say.

Courtney's head snaps up to see a man just a couple years older than her. He wasn't that bad-looking, and he was pretty muscular. Although his over-the-top personality was quite a turn-off. He was leaning over the counter.

"What would you like to order?" Courtney asks, ignoring his last comment.

"I'd like some of _that_," the man says suggestively, visibly running his eyes up and down Courtney's body. Her hand twitched in anger, but she kept under control.

"Um, I think _not_. Now what would you like off the _menu_?" Courtney demands, pointing to the menu board above her head.

The man sighs, stands up and away from the counter, and opens his wallet. "Fine. I'll just have a grande Java Chip frappuccino," he says. The man slides a $10 bill across the counter, leaving his fingers on the money for a second too long. "Keep the change." He winks at Courtney and walks away.

Courtney rolls her eyes and puts the money in the cash register, taking the change and putting it in her pocket. Though the hated the guy, she could use the extra money.

* * *

Courtney was walking home at 9p.m. that night, after helping close up. She was pretty happy with her job, despite 'the man'. Courtney walks down the sidewalk, out of the outlet mall, onto the sidewalk next to the street.

Suddenly, the front pocket of Courtney's green Starbucks apron vibrates. She retrieves her cellphone from the pocket and reads the new text message. What her cell said made her stop in her tracks.

It said: '_Hello, Courtney. You thought you finally got rid of me, did you? Well, you didn't. And I'm not even going to tell you how I survived the exploding house, because that'll be my little secret. Just to let you know, I know where you and Duncan are. And you aren't safe. If I get my way, Duncan will never be safe again. And neither will you, Courtney, if you stay with him.'_

Courtney immediately looked all around her, but the place was deserted. She sprinted all the way into the apartment building, up the stairs, and into the hallway. Courtney turns the knob and slams her hip into the door, but it was locked. She started banging on the apartment door.

"Duncan! Open up! Quick!" the shouts through the door, not caring who heard her. She quick looked over her shoulder, though, just in case.

The door opens and Courtney squeezes into the room, in close proximity of Duncan, who was standing right in the doorway. Courtney slams the door shut and double-locks it. She was panting hard from her run.

"Princess, what's wrong?" Duncan asks, not smirking for once.

She holds out her cellphone in response, and Duncan takes it from her. He quickly reads the message, and Courtney watches his eyes flicking across the screen. "Sean… is back?" he asks.

"Yeah," Courtney replies breathlessly.

Duncan hands her cellphone back and he steps away, running his hands through his mohawk. "Shit…," he murmurs.

"I know," Courtney says. "I'm… going to bed."

* * *

Duncan tacks a piece of white printer paper over the poster of 'the girl' for Courtney. He turns and walks over to his bed, with Courtney smiling gratefully at him from under the covers. "Thanks," Courtney says, her voice muffled with sleep.

"No problem, Princess," Duncan replies. He climbs into bed next to Courtney since she had begged him, once changed into her pajamas, to sleep in his bed with her tonight. Duncan knew she was just scared to sleep alone with Sean on the loose, but he was happy to be sleeping with her none the less.

Courtney curled up next to Duncan, tucking her head under his chin. She hated this feeling: the feeling of unease. Of anxiety. Of nervousness. Of apprehension. Of not knowing when your sworn enemy was going to attack, killing your boyfriend and possibly you, too. She bit her lip.

It was obvious Sean wanted to kill Duncan. Duncan almost got shot _twice_! But now, with the growing threat of Sean, coming _here_, that just made Courtney nervous beyond belief. If Duncan was gone… she wouldn't know what to do with herself.

And Duncan? He was nervous too. He knew his life could end at any second if Sean was near, but mainly, Duncan just wanted to keep Courtney safe. At whatever cost. He draped an arm over her waist, and Courtney pulled herself closer to him.

One thing that wouldn't get out of Duncan's head: He couldn't leave Courtney alone for one second.

And as Courtney kissed his cheek, Duncan knew _he was perfectly fine with that_.

**(Author's Note: Sean is back! Hey, I had to keep the story intense **_**some**_**how! Haha. You guys didn't really think the story was almost over, **_**did**_** you? ;) )**


	20. The DKC Gang

"Duncan, I need to get up! I start work in one hour and my hair isn't even done!" Courtney complains, though she wasn't struggling much. Duncan's arms were around Courtney's bare waist -- her shirt had ridden up quite a lot.

Duncan was laying in his bed and Courtney was laying on his torso. He was pretending to be sleeping, not letting Courtney out of his grip. She groans and Duncan lets out a big, fake snore.

She laughs but soon smacks his shoulder. "I know you're faking. Wake up, let me go, and hurry up!" Courtney demands.

Duncan opens his eyes and smirks at her. "Not quite, darling. I'm having too much fun where I am," he says seductively, wiggling his eyebrows. Courtney rolls her eyes but feels her stomach flutter.

"Duncan…," she warns.

"Just agree that you won't go to work today and I'll let you go," Duncan says.

"What?!"

"I _said_--"

"I know what you said!" Courtney snaps. "I just can't call in sick on my second day of work!"

"Sure you can," Duncan insists. "Especially since that crazed _Sean_ is on the loose…"

Courtney freezes up in Duncan's arms. She had completely forgotten about Sean. "Well… I guess _one_ day off won't hurt anybody," Courtney breaks down.

"That's my Princess," Duncan praises her, kissing Courtney's forehead, and releasing her.

* * *

Courtney was on Duncan's laptop, sitting on the couch. She was searching Sean on the internet because, to her, 'knowledge is power'. Duncan was in the kitchen making himself a fruit smoothie with the blender… along with a small shot of vodka in it.

Courtney gasps. "Did you know there are over _five hundred_ Seans on MySpace?" she asks.

"Nope. But you better start looking," Duncan tells her, shaking some icy smoothie into his mouth straight from the blender.

Within the next fifteen minutes, Duncan had chugged a liter of spiked smoothie, and Courtney had found Sean's profile. "Duncan, I found it!" Courtney exclaims. Duncan sits on the couch next to Courtney and squints at the screen. And, yes, there was a picture of Sean.

"Well… that's great, darling, but what are we supposed to do now?" Duncan asks.

Courtney sighs. "We're just going to kinda explore his profile and see if we can find out anything," she explains. Courtney clicks on Sean's pictures, luckily his profile wasn't private.

The screen loads, and when his pictures pop up, Duncan and Courtney both gasp.

There was just one picture of Sean, which he was using as his profile picture. The other pictures were all of Courtney… with hearts. Everywhere. There were a couple pictures of Duncan, too, but those just had hate messages scrawled across his face.

"So Sean's…"

"In love with you," Duncan finishes for her. They both were still staring at the screen in disbelief.

"And he's trying to kill _you_," Courtney tells Duncan. She looks him in the eyes and they stare at each other with wide eyes. Finally, Duncan shuts his eyes and shakes his head.

"That dude is messed up."

Courtney sets the laptop down on the couch and she stands up. "Come on, I have an idea," she says. Duncan stands up too.

"What is it?"

"Just follow me," Courtney orders. She puts her wedges on and grabs a jacket. Duncan slips on his red Converse and follows Courtney out the apartment door. They walk down the sidewalk and into the outlet mall. Courtney takes a detour through Abercrombie in order to avoid Starbucks.

Finally, they wind up in a small alleyway. Courtney points to a gang symbol graffiti-ed on the brick wall. "Do you know these people?" Courtney demands.

Duncan's eyes flick over to the familiar symbol, graffiti-ed into the brick. There were three short, fat, neon green bubble letters: DKC. To the upper right hand corner, but still pressed to the C, was the little skull Duncan always had on his T-shirt. Courtney hadn't known until yesterday, when she saw the graffiti skull, that Duncan's shirt was basically a gang symbol. "Yeah, I know them," Duncan answers, crossing his arms and smirking.

Courtney sighs. "Alright, how about _this_: Are they your _friends_?"

"Psh, yeah!" Duncan exclaims. "Who do you think came up with the skull as our logo?"

"Just making sure. Anyway, do you think _they_ could maybe help us with our 'situation' with Sean?" Courtney asks.

"Of course! C'mon, Princess, let's go pack," says Duncan, taking Courtney's hand and pulling her out of the alleyway. She yanks her hand from his.

"Wait, wait, wait. What makes you think they'd want to see you?"

"See _me_?" Duncan asks, placing a hand on his chest and raising his eyebrows. "Darling, darling, darling. I am the _leader_ of my gang. They _better_ be happy to see me. The only reason I didn't take you to our hideout was because of _you_."

"Because of me?!"

"Yeah. As you can tell, Sweetheart, you aren't really gang material."

Courtney stomps her foot and squeezes her hands into fists. "I wear gray! Gray is like a gang color, right?"

"Sure, Courtney… _Suuure_."

"Whatever, you ogre. Let's just go and pack."

* * *

"Ohmigosh! Is that… _Harold_?!" Courtney asks as she and Duncan were walking out of his apartment building with their luggage in hand. Harold was standing on the curb and hailing a taxi.

"Yep. He lives in this apartment building too," Duncan answers.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't think he was that important." Courtney laughs at this, and they walk up to Harold. A taxi pulls up to the curb and Harold opens the door.

"Hey, Harold," Courtney greets him. Harold turns around and lets go of the door.

"Oh. Hi, Courtney," he wheezes.

"I think this is our cab," Duncan says. He tosses his and Courtney's luggage into the taxi.

"Hey, that's not fair! This is _my _taxi! It took me, like, a whole light-year to hail," Harold protests. Duncan shoves him to the curb and motions for Courtney to get in the taxi, which she does. Duncan steps over Harold, accidentally stepping on his in the process.

"OW!"

"Whoopsy-daisy!" Duncan exclaims, sliding across the leather seat of the taxi and slamming the door shut.

After a short drive, Courtney and Duncan get out of the taxi and step onto the curb of downtown Chicago. The old brick semi-skyscrapers had broken windows, doors nailed shut by moldy planks of wood, cracking sidewalks, front porches invaded by weeds, and a gray sky. Courtney shivered at the dismal sight as the taxi drove off.

Duncan led her down a smelly alleyway complete with knocked-over trashcans, layers of graffiti on the brick walls, and even a couple rats peering at them from the cracks. They walk through a wooden fence with a sign saying 'Trespassers Will Be Shot' on it. Then they cross a small weedy field into another alleyway blocked off by a brick wall. Duncan taps a series of knocks on a thick steel door and waits.

In a couple minutes, the door opens to reveal a teenage guy in clothing similar to Duncan's and a red mohawk. "Dude! Duncan! You're back!" he exclaims, grabbing Duncan's hand and pulling Duncan close to him. They bump shoulders and slap each other's back.

Duncan pulls away and motions to Courtney. "Princess, this is Killer. Killer, this is Princess."

Killer holds his hand out to Courtney and she carefully takes it. Killer shakes her hand and gives her a small nod. "Nice to finally meet you, _Princess_."

Courtney blushes and pulls her hand away. "You too, uh, _Killer_. But you can call me Courtney."

"No problem, Court," Killer says, holding the door open for her and Duncan. Killer had multiple facial piercings and was naturally hot, just like Duncan. Duncan leads Courtney down a spiral rusty-metal staircase, into the basement of the building.

**(Author's Note: Sorry this sucky chapter took me soooo long. I had a major writer's block on this story. But now, mwa-ha-ha-ha! I have the perfect plan… And I think you guys will really like it. *big cheesy grin* Also, I'll be describing the DKC Gang's hide-out in the next chapter.)**


	21. The HideOut

As predicted, the walls were covered with neon-graffiti DKC gang symbols. The floors were concrete, and had a couple raggedy rugs dispersed throughout the room. A couple threadbare couches lined the walls, and a coffee table sat in the middle of the room. The huge coffee table was littered with empty beer cans, overflowing ash trays, and Playboy magazines. A TV with crooked antennas sat on the floor against one wall, displaying a static-filled football game. Lightbulbs hung, bare, from the ceiling. At the back of the room were rows of miniature fridges and cabinets. Courtney guessed that was the kitchen. There was one door at the back, and Duncan led her through it.

This door led to a long hallway full of doors. Duncan leads Courtney down the hallway. Courtney notices that Killer had disappeared. "So this is the weight-lifting room," Duncan says, "The bathroom, the bunk room, the weapon room, the treasury…"

Finally, they get to the end of the hallway, in front of a closed door. "And, the best for last, my office," Duncan announces, throwing open the door. There was actually carpet in this room. The carpet was shaggy and stained, but still. A heavy oak desk sat in the middle of the room with an old leather chair behind it. File cabinets completely lined the wall on the left, and a bunk bed was pressed to the right wall. A small basement window was near the ceiling, behind Duncan's desk. Duncan tossed their luggage on the bottom bunk and he led Courtney back out into the hallway.

"Time to meet the guys," he announces. Duncan leads Courtney into the weight-lifting room. A scent-wave of sweat and cologne smashed into Courtney's nose. She almost gagged, but didn't, because she wanted to make a good first impression.

"Duncan!" multiple guys exclaimed. There were clanks and clangs as the gangsters set down the heavy weights they were lifting. There were pats and high-fives and daps **(Author's Note: Did you know that 'dap' is the official name for a fist-bump? Lol. Now you do!)** as everybody greeted Duncan. Finally, Duncan steps away from his friends and puts his arm around Courtney's waist.

"Guys, this is Courtney," Duncan announces. There is a slight pause as the guys remember the girl that Duncan was always talking about.

Suddenly, they all exclaim, "Ohh, _Princess_!"

Within seconds, Courtney was standing there, petrified, as guys three times her size gave her sweaty, bone-crushing hugs. "Um, alright, uh, I can't breathe," Courtney gasps. The guys immediately step away from her to give her room.

Duncan laughs. "I'll let you guys get back to what you were doing. Courtney and I are gonna unpack," he says.

"See you, Duncan!" the guys call out. Then, "Later, Princess!"

Duncan brings Courtney back into his bedroom/office and he pulls out some white bed sheets from under the bunk bed. "Do you want top bunk or bottom bunk?" Duncan asks, handing Courtney some sheets.

"Top," she replies confidently.

* * *

Duncan wakes up in the middle of the night to hear Courtney scrambling around in her bed above him. He hears her yelp, and suddenly her silhouette flashes past him, and he hears a thud. Duncan looks over the edge of the bottom bunk to see Courtney laying on the floor. She groans.

"You okay, Princess?" he asks. Courtney hops onto her feet and the moonlight from the basement window illuminates her whole body. She smoothes her hair before answering.

"Of _course_ I'm okay," she says stubbornly.

Duncan chuckles. "If you want the bottom bunk, I'd switch with you."

Courtney stands there, desperately wanting the bottom bunk. But, of course, she couldn't let Duncan know that. After a minute of internal debate, she asks, "Really?"

"Absolutely."

Courtney smiles, and Duncan can't help but notice that the moonlight was shining perfectly on her hair. The light from the window shadowed her curves in all the right ways, and also making her white teeth and the whites of her eyes glow. Her tan skin somehow looked darker, even in the shining moonlight. "Come here," says Duncan.

Courtney steps over to Duncan's bunk, and he sits up in bed. "You look beautiful tonight," Duncan whispers. Courtney's smile turns wider and a slight blush colors her cheeks. Duncan reaches up and pulls Courtney down onto his bunk bed. He puts his hand on the back of her neck and pulls her in for a kiss.

**

* * *

**

(Author's Note: This is my absolute, complete, utterly favorite song in the world. Look it up on YouTube if you haven't heard it before. Learn the Honor Roll dance that goes with the song, like me. It's freakin' amazingg! Lol. The song is See U In The Dark by Honor Society.)

_You were always the girl  
Who would give me girl advice whenever I needed it.  
My best friend in the world,  
My friends thought you were fine but I was always denyin' it._

Then one summer day,  
I saw you sitting by your swimming pool,  
And I was thinking 'Damn you really changed'.  
You're not the little girl I used to know.  
You opened up my eyes.

I see you walk across my room in  
Nothing but the moonlight.  
Now I love to see you in the dark,  
See you in the dark.  
My window, frames you like a Monet,  
So don't come back to bed yet,  
Cuz I love to see you in the dark,  
See you in the dark.

I'll never see you the same.  
The veil has been lifted, now I see you're gifted.  
My whole perspective has changed.  
Don't think I can go back cause I will always desire it.

Don't take another step  
Near me just in case we have regrets.  
If tomorrow we go back to being friends,  
I'll think about the way you looked tonight.  
You opened up my eyes.

I see you walk across my room in  
Nothing but the moonlight.  
Now I love to see you in the dark,  
See you in the dark.  
My window, frames you like a Monet,  
So don't come back to bed yet,  
Cuz I love to see you in the dark,  
See you in the dark.

Maybe if you were someone else,  
It wouldn't have to feel like this.  
I'm wondering how you feel about me now,  
Or was it just a friendly kiss,  
Cause I'm seeing you for the first time.

I see you walk across my room in  
Nothing but the moonlight.  
Now I love to see you in the dark,  
See you in the dark.  
I see you walk across my room in  
Nothing but the moonlight.  
Now I love to see you in the dark,  
See you in the dark.  
My window, frames you like a Monet,  
So don't come back to bed yet,  
Cuz I love to see you in the dark,  
See you in the dark.


	22. The Attack

Courtney wakes up in Duncan's bed, with her shirt halfway off her head and her bra unhooked. She curses under her breath as she fixes her bra and her shirt. Luckily, her shorts were still firmly attached to her hips.

Her inner voice speaks up: _Courtney, what did you _think_ would happen if you stayed overnight in a gang's hide-out? Only bad things will come of this…_

_Oh, shut up! I would get murdered if I wasn't here._

_True. But Duncan practically felt you up last night--_

_Practically? His hands _did_ go up my shirt. And you know what? I _let_ him._

_What is going _on_ with you, Courtney?!_

_What do you mean?_

_You're acting all… loose and carefree and… not responsible._

_So Duncan's rubbing off on me. So what?_

_AUGH! You're hopeless!_, screams her inner voice. Courtney grins as it fades away.

"Want some breakfast, Princess?" Duncan asks, walking into the room. He sets a plate down on his desk overflowing with grapes, orange slices, a banana, and strawberries. Duncan sits in his leather chair and watches Courtney as she stands up and walks over to his desk. She pops a grape into her mouth and sits on Duncan's lap. He smirks and wraps his arms around her waist.

"So what are we doing today?" Courtney asks.

"I'm fine with just making out," Duncan replies, nuzzling his lips into Courtney's neck. She giggles and smacks his leg.

There's a knock on the door, and Duncan lifts his head. "Come in," he calls out, and a guy with a neon purple mohawk walks in. "Oh, hey, Craig."

"Hey, Duncan. Hey, Princess," says Craig. Courtney smiles politely. _Can none of these gangsters comprehend that her name is Courtney?_

"What's up?" Duncan asks.

"Well, Killer and Blake have found out where Sean is staying," Craig announces. Courtney stiffens up in Duncan's arms and he holds her closer to him.

"Where?"

"He's staying in the apartment near the entrance to the alleyway."

Duncan presses his lips together and slides out from under Courtney. Duncan walks around the desk to face Craig. He stabs his finger into the table. "I want security cameras all over that alleyway, and around that apartment. We need to start shifts to guard the inner hallway of our hide-out. We need extra shipments of weapons, and we need everybody to keep their eyes and ears open. Got that?" Duncan orders.

"Word for word," Craig replies with a nod. Duncan nods too and Craig leaves the room.

"I'll be right back," Duncan says, walking following Craig out and shutting the door. Courtney stands up and quickly changes into her clothes before Duncan comes back. She digs through her suitcase to get her hair brush, but her hand bumps into a sheet of paper. Courtney pulls it out and unfolds it.

It was her grades for last year. She had packed it when she first realized she was moving to Chicago to remind herself to sign up for summer school. Duncan walks into the room and Courtney turns around. "We need to sign up for summer school," she says.

"What? We're being stalked by Sean and you want to _study_?"

"Duncan, either we start summer school, or we have to repeat senior year. Which do you want to do?" Courtney asks. Duncan's eyes widen and he grabs her hand.

"Let's get going, then. I'm _not_ repeating senior year."

* * *

Duncan is driving Courtney home on his motorcycle. Her messenger bag was stuffed to the brim of textbooks and homework papers. They had worked out a deal with the school that they could do their homework at the hide-out, and turn it all in by the end of summer. If they learned all the material, they could pass.

Duncan parks his motorcycle by the curb and he helps Courtney carry their textbooks. Of course, he takes all the books and Courtney just carries all the papers. As they walk through the alleyway, a gunshot goes off. Courtney screams, and Duncan's body stiffens as he goes into defensive mode.

He drops the textbooks and grabs Courtney by the waist. "Run!" he shouts, pushing her in front of him. They sprint through the empty lot and towards the hide-out. Duncan pounds his fist on the door and shouts, "Kyler, answer the door!"

The door swings open and Duncan and Courtney practically fall into the foyer. Duncan slams the door shut behind them and locks the multiple locks on the door. He and Courtney pant, gasping for breath.

"Dude, what the hell happened out there?" asks Kyler, a guy in a bright yellow mohawk.

"Most likely Sean," Duncan replies. "He was shooting at us from his apartment."

"Well, at least Damien helped me set up the security cameras. Check this out," Kyler says. He points to a small TV screen on the wall that was displaying a view of the alleyway in front of the hide-out's doorway. "That's how I knew you were out there, even though you didn't use our secret knock."

"That's great, Kyler," Duncan says, clapping him on the back. "But we have bigger problems now. Sean knows where we are."

"So he saw you run into our hide-out?"

"Yeah, dude! When we jumped into the door, a bullet nearly grazed my shoulder, see?" Duncan asks, turning and revealing his shoulder. A long, shallow gash was along his shoulder. Courtney gasps.

"Oh my gosh, are you okay?" she asks. Duncan nods and Kyler rolls his eyes.

"Of course. I've gotten it much worse than this before," Duncan replies. He turns to Kyler and continues, "Gang meeting in the living room in ten minutes. Spread the word." Then he walks down the hallway to his office, with Courtney running after him.

"A gang meeting?" Courtney asks, shutting the office door behind her. Duncan was sitting on his desk and expertly wrapping a bandage around his shoulder.

"Yeah. Sean knows where we are now. We have to increase our defenses ten times what they were before."

"But there are already, like, fifty different kinds of locks on the front door. How would he ever get in?" Courtney asks.

"Explosives."

"He wouldn't do that."

Duncan chuckles wryly. "That guy blew up Aiden's whole house. Why wouldn't he blow up the front door?"

Courtney was silent. Duncan finishes wrapping up his shoulder and he takes her hand. "Come on." They walk down the hallway into the living room, where a sea of rainbow mohawks awaited them.

Duncan brushes some Playboy and Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition magazines off the coffee table. He stands on the coffee table, and everybody's attention turns to Duncan. "Alright, guys, let's talk defense. Sean knows where we are now, and we gotta protect ourselves somehow. We're talking a big-time kidnapper who's known to detonate houses and basically torture his captives," Duncan says. "The security camera by the front door is a start, but we need more ideas. Anybody have one?"

There is mumbling around the room before a guy in a neon orange mohawk raises his hand. Duncan points to him. "Damien, go."

"Like you said, we could do shifts to stay up during the night to kinda keep watch," Damien suggests.

"Yeah, yeah. We could. You have first shift, Damien. Anybody else?" Duncan asks. A guy with a red mohawk raises his hand. "Blake?"

"We could always make the first attack," Blake suggests.

Duncan opens his mouth to reply, but suddenly, a muffled explosion is heard. The floor shakes and everybody braces themselves. A bit of dust and rubble from the ceiling rains down on Courtney and the gangsters. "Looks like it's too late for that," a guy in a silver mohawk next to Courtney mutters.

Gunshots go off.


	23. Subway

Duncan jumps off the coffee table, shouting instructions at his fellow gang members. "Get a gun! Don't let them get any further into the hide-out! Kill them on sight," he growls the last part. Duncan takes Courtney's arm and pulls her down the hallway in front of the mob of gangsters who were all headed for the weapon room. Duncan pulls Courtney into his office and he shuts the door, locking it.

"What about the others?" Courtney asks breathlessly. She was freaking out. _Sean_ was just out _there_.

Duncan waves his hand dismissively. "They can handle themselves. This gang has been up and running for about seven years," he informs her, scooting his desk over.

"You joined a gang when you were _eleven_?!" Courtney shrieks.

"Shut up, Princess, you'll alert Sean right to us. And yeah, I joined the gang when I was eleven."

Courtney shakes her head in disapprovement as Duncan fumbles with the carpet. He lifts a small patch of carpet, revealing a keyhole. He reaches under his dog collar and pulls out a key, which he uses to unlock it. Duncan pulls up on the carpet, and a small secret passageway is revealed.

"Whoa," Courtney breathes. Duncan slides into the dark shaft.

"You coming, darling?" he asks. Courtney grimaces as she looks down the dark, musty tunnel. Cool air slowly wafts out, sending shivers up Courtney's arms. But a crash right outside the door propelled Courtney into the tunnel right next to Duncan.

"Let's go."

They slowly climb down the slippery metal ladder rungs, embedded in the cement blocks of the secret passage. The trap door closes, leaving them in darkness until Duncan clicks on a lightswitch. They reach the bottom of the ladder, and the tunnel lights up. Courtney gasps.

They were in an abandoned subway tunnel. "Duncan…," Courtney whimpers. She hated subways since they always made her think the roof would cave in, or the tunnels would flood, or something bad.

"Don't worry, Princess, this subway tunnel has been abandoned for years," Duncan assures her. He takes her hand and leads her onto the subway track. They start walking down the tunnel, with Courtney looking over her shoulder every now and then.

After five minutes of walking, Courtney stops in her tracks. "Wait… Do you hear that?" she asks. Duncan didn't hear anything, but he froze anyway.

"Run," he orders. Duncan still couldn't hear anything, but he felt slight tremors in the floor. He and Courtney sprint for the end of the tunnel.

"Are we almost there?!" Courtney shrieks.

Duncan gulps. He wasn't going to lie. "…No." They run harder as clacking metal was heard behind them; a sure sign of an oncoming subway train. Soon, bright lights flood the tunnel.

Duncan shoves Courtney against the subway tunnel wall, and he covers her body with his. They stand, shaking, against the damp brick wall as the huge subway train barrels by them. The rush of wind coming from the train caused Courtney's hair to whip around her face. They waited for a solid minute until it passed them.

Duncan finally steps back and lets Courtney away from the wall. She immediately comes up to him and wraps her arms around his neck in a hug. Duncan, surprised, puts his hands on her hips. "You okay, Princess?"

She sighs and steps back, taking Duncan's hand, but not answering his question. He starts to lead her down the subway tunnel again. "I thought you said this subway tunnel was abandoned," Courtney finally says.

"Well, it must have been Sean's stupid acquaintances," Duncan reasons.

"Good guess, Duncan," a man praises him. Duncan turns around to see Sean, standing in the middle of the subway tunnel. Duncan immediately stands in front of Courtney. Sean was holding up a gun.

"How'd you get past…?"

"Oh, it was easy. I just sacrificed all my acquaintances to your gangsters while I escaped into the subway tunnel to follow you," Sean explains.

"You _killed_ all the people that were helping you?!" Courtney demands.

"Truth be told, I really don't care what happens to those numbskulls. Now, climb," Sean orders, motioning to another metal ladder. Duncan lets Courtney start climbing ahead of him, to put himself between her and Sean's gun. They reach the top of the ladder, and Duncan reaches around Courtney to lift the cover of the manhole.

While he was right next to her, he whispers in her ear, "When you get in the alleyway, _run_. Don't care about me, just _run_. And get help."

No matter how much his orders bothered her, Courtney gave a small nod. She climbed out of the manhole, and ran like her life depended on it. Duncan climbed out next, standing there while Sean climbed out of the manhole with his gun pointed at Duncan's chest.

"Where'd Courtney go?!" Sean demands.

Duncan shrugs. "She was already gone by the time I got up here."

"Lies!" Sean cries out, running at Duncan. Sean shoves him into the alley wall, gun pressed to Duncan's stomach.

Duncan clenches his jaw and squeezes his fists together. "Get. The. Fuck. Off. Me." But despite Duncan's threats, Sean presses the gun barrel deeper into Duncan's stomach.

Meanwhile, Courtney peeks out a third story window. Sean was pressing Duncan against the apartment wall, which happened to be abandoned. Courtney had ran into the apartment to hopefully save Duncan.

She ties the end of a rope she found on the floor to a thick water pipe. Courtney tugs on it to make sure it was secure. Then she stands on the window ledge, grasping the other end of the rope. Her eyes spin.

The ground was so far up, and this was so unlike her. Yet… she had to save Duncan.

With a high-pitched scream, Courtney jumps from the apartment window, swinging like Tarzan towards Sean. She holds her feet out, hands gripping the old rope. Sean turns to see what was going on just as Courtney swings at him. Her feet make contact with his chest, knocking Sean backwards about five feet. Courtney lets go of the rope and lands on Sean's chest. She immediately starts pounding her fists on his chest, shoulders, neck, face, wherever her punches landed.

But Sean, clearly stronger than she was, shoves Courtney off him. She slams against to the brick wall and Sean stands up. He raises the gun and shoots her in the stomach. Courtney screams and bends over in pain as her hands cover up the bullet wound.

**(Author's Note: This was a short chapter. Just saying. Anyway, this story is nearly wrapped up. Sad day. But after all, I do have to start writing Total Drama Couple 2! For those of you who don't know what that is, check out Total Drama Couple on my profile. Total Drama Couple 2 is the sequel… obviously. Lol.)**


	24. Hospital

**(Author's Note: I know I made Courtney look pretty weak at the end of the last chapter. But, seriously? A real teen girl can't rip a light post from the ground and tie it around a nerd. Also, realistically, gangsters and murderers are **_**most likely**_** stronger than a teen girl. And I like my stories to stay as real-life as possible, sorry.)**

"Courtney!" Duncan yells. He tries to run towards her, but Sean steps in front of Courtney, pointing the gun at Duncan.

"I think it's too late to help your precious _girlfriend_," Sean spat, scowling. "And soon it will be too late for you too."

Duncan raises his hands in surrender, then he lowers his arms and clasps his hands behind his back. "Just get it over with, then," Duncan says boldly. But, really, while his hands were behind his back, Duncan grabbed his gun out of his back pocket.

"Alright then, Duncan, you're time is up," Sean announces.

But Duncan whips the gun out, facing it at Sean. "Not quite, Sean. One wrong move from you, and you'll be dead," Duncan growls.

"What do you mean?" Sean asks. "If you pull the trigger, I'll pull the trigger, too, and we'll both be dead. If _I_ pull the trigger, you'll presumably pull it, too, thus killing us both. So don't do anything stupid."

"Sean, I _live_ for stupid decisions," Duncan replies, smirking.

Simultaneously, Killer pops out from behind a dumpster and grabs Sean's neck in a choke hold while Duncan round-house kicks the gun out of Sean's hands. The gun clatters on the concrete floor, and Sean immediately starts trying to fight his way out of Killer's grip.

Duncan races over to Courtney, leaving Sean at the mercy of Killer and several other gangsters who were running down the alleyway towards the fight. "Courtney, are you okay?" Duncan asks frantically. He carefully takes Courtney's hands and lift them away from her stomach. There was blood on her shaking hands, and also soaking a small area of her shirt.

There is a screech behind Duncan, causing him to turn around. Craig was sitting on a shiny black Harley motorcycle. "Hop on!" Craig exclaims. Duncan gently lifts Courtney up and sets her on the motorcycle seat behind Craig.

"Duncan! What should we do with him?" Killer asks. Sean was being held down by multiple gangsters, and Blake was pointing a gun at him. Duncan squints in hatred at Sean.

"Kill him," Duncan replies, "Immediately." Then he climbs onto the motorcycle behind Courtney and Craig roars off. Courtney leans back on Duncan as they speed off towards the hospital.

* * *

Meanwhile, Killer and several other gangsters hold Sean down on the dirty alley floor. Blake was standing over Sean, pointing the shiny silver gun at his neck. The gangsters were gripping Sean hard, spitting on him, and insulting him.

"Any last words before I shoot you and you go to hell?" Blake threatens.

Sean nods. "Tell Duncan that I _will_ get revenge," Sean says simply. The gangsters laugh.

"Sure. Whatever. Have a nice eternity in hell," Blake says, firing a bullet right into Sean's forehead, killing him instantly. The gangsters cheer.

* * *

Back at the hospital, Duncan plops himself into a hard chair in the waiting room and wait to hear from the doctors. He puts his earplugs into his ears and blasts the volume in his iPod, trying to drown out his thoughts.

**(Author's Note: Short chapter. I know. But the story is almost over soon, so at least it's a chapter, right? Anyway, the song is Her Diamonds by Rob Thomas in case you didn't know that already. Bolded lyrics are the lyrics that I really like.)**

_"Oh what the hell," she says,  
"I just can't win for losing."  
And she lays back down.  
"Man there's so many times  
I don't know what I'm doin'  
Like I don't know now."_

By the light of the moon,  
She rubs her eyes,  
Says, "it's funny how the night  
Can make you blind."  
I can just imagine.  
**And I don't know what I'm supposed to do,  
But if she feels bad then I do too**,  
So I let her be.

And she says, "Oooh,  
I can't take no more."  
**Her tears like diamonds on the floor,  
And her diamonds bring me down,  
Cuz I can't help her now.  
**She's down in it,  
She tried her best and now she can't win it's  
Hard to see them on the ground,  
Her diamonds falling down.

She sits down and stares into the distance,  
And it takes all night.  
And **I know I could break her concentration,  
But it don't feel right.  
**  
By the light of the moon,  
She rubs her eyes.  
Sits down on the bed and starts to cry,  
And there's something less about her.  
**And I don't know what I'm supposed to do,  
So I sit down and I cry too.  
And don't let her see.  
**  
And she says, "oooh,  
I can't take no more."  
Her tears like diamonds on the floor,  
And her diamonds bring me down,  
Cuz I can't help her now.  
She's down in it,  
She tried her best and now she can't win **it's  
Hard to see them on the ground,  
Her diamonds falling down.  
**  
She shuts out the night,  
Tries to close her eyes.  
If she can find daylight,  
She'll be all right,  
She'll be all right,  
Just not tonight.

And she says, "oooh,  
I can't take no more."  
Her tears like diamonds on the floor,  
And her diamonds bring me down,  
Cuz I can't help her now.  
She's down in it,  
She tried her best and now she can't win it's  
Hard to see them on the ground,  
Her diamonds falling down.


	25. Engagement

_87% of abdominal wounds are fatal._

_It's a fact._

_The bullet pierces an internal organ._

_The victim bleeds to death…_

_Or they die from internal bleeding, even if the bullet is removed…_

_Or they die from complications in the surgery…_

_Or blood filling the lungs…_

_Or…other things._

_Gun wounds to the abdominal area are the most painful of bullet wounds._

_I should know._

The doctors walk over to Duncan, and he quickly stands up, ripping his earbuds from his ears. He hadn't been able to focus on the music anyway. There were too many thoughts running through his mind. "Is Courtney alright?" he demands. Duncan stuffs iPod into his back pocket.

"She's fine, but Miss Summers will probably have to spend a night or two here at the hospital," the doctor replies. "Follow me to her room." The doctor leads Duncan down a pristine white hallway. Duncan's fingers were twitching nervously; it seemed like the doctor was walking abnormally slow. Or maybe everything was going in slow-motion to Duncan. He couldn't focus on anything. Just the hospital rooms. He peeked in every room they passed to be sure they hadn't passed Courtney's room.

Finally, the doctor stops in front of a closed door, and flicks his hand towards it. "Here we are," he announces. Duncan immediately steps forward and flings open the heavy wooden door. But even though it was heavy, nothing would have stopped him from getting to Courtney. Not even if he had to tear this very door from it's hinges.

Duncan steps into the room to find a very pale Courtney laying in the huge hospital bed. The bed was probably five times larger than her, and her thin frame laid tiredly in the dead center. Webs of tubes and wires covered the wall and ended up in her wrist, filling her tiny body with life-saving IV fluids. There were several pillows huddled around her, so her head was sunk into fluffy layers that would hopefully cushion the pain. Not to mention that her hospital gown was a couple sizes larger than her, so that she looked like she was drowning in teal cotton.

He couldn't help but notice how weak, tired, and fragile Courtney looked. Instantly, Duncan was filled with rage. But then his anger faded as quickly as it had come. Sean was dead. That's right.

Courtney smiles as Duncan walks over to her and grips the railing by her bed. "Are you okay, Princess?" he asks. Courtney nods and scoots over to the edge of the bed, closer to Duncan. Somehow, he made her feel safer. She placed a hand over Duncan's, and he couldn't help but shiver at the touch of her cool fingers.

"Sean's dead now, right?" Courtney asks him. Her voice was quieter. Weaker. Duncan's muscles tensed up. He would've probably started shouting and cursing Sean's name if he opened his mouth, so all he did was gulp and nod.

She nods and smiles. "Good," she practically whispers. Her voice snaps Duncan out of his reverie and he takes one of her hands in his.

Duncan bends down onto one knee and reaches into his pocket. When he takes a navy velvet case and holds it in his palm, Courtney gasps. Her eyes start watering as Duncan asks, "Princess, you are the best thing that has ever happened to me. I love you more than anything in the world. I want to spend forever with you. Courtney, will you marry me?"

"Yes, Duncan, yes!" Courtney exclaims. A couple fat tears escape from her eyes and roll down her cheeks. He flips open the case and a thin silver wedding ring sparkled in the light. Duncan gently slipped the ring onto Courtney's ring finger. The silver ring was even more pronounced on her tan skin.

Duncan stands up and wipes the tears from Courtney's face with his thumbs. He leans over Courtney and puts his hand on the back of her neck, his fingers intertwining with her brown locks. He leans down and kisses her. Courtney lifts her hand and puts it on Duncan's shoulder, pulling him closer to her.

**(Author's Note: Sorry everybody! I am a sucky, sucky, sucky author! I'm so sorry I made all of you wait for such a short, crappy ending. Oh well! I had a major writer's block, so at least it's over. Hopefully it was cute enough at the end.)**


End file.
